research
Research at the Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences
The Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences is the centre for research and development in Estonia in the fields of veterinary medicine, animal and fish farming and food science.
The institute is responsible for six areas of competence and academic activities in the Estonian University of Life Sciences:
- Animal Breeding and Biotechnology (VL TN) - Haldja Viinalass
- Animal Nutrition (VL ST) - Meelis Ots
- Chair of Aquaculture (VL VI) - Riho Gross
- Chair of Clinical Veterinary Medicine (VL KM) - Toomas Orro
- Chair of Food Science and Technology (VL TQ) - Helena Andreson
- Chair of Veterinary BioMedicine AND FOOD HYGIENE (VL VB) - Arvo Viltrop
The academic staff of the Institute in 2015 (total of 149 positions):
- Professors - 13
- Docents - 25
- Lecturers - 37
- Teaching assistants - 3
- Senior researchers - 14
- Researchers - 14
- Junior researchers - 7
- Senior veterinarians - 10
- Veterinarians - 20
- Junior veterinarians - 6
Most important current research projects in 2015:
- Fertility and health in dairy cattle (2013–2018); research group leader Prof Andres Valdmann;
- Population genetic, genomic and transcriptomic approaches in studies of genetic diversity and local adaptations in fish and farm animals (2013–2018); research group leader Prof Riho Gross;
- Development of efficient animal reproduction technologies for sustainable cattle breeding (2012–2015); research group leader Prof Ülle Jaakma;
- Sustainable breeding strategies to produce compositionally designed milk to promote biotechnological properties of milk, foster human health, and increase profitability of milk production (2009–2015); research group leader Prof Haldja Viinalass;
- Epidemiology and risk factors of emerging zoonoses in Estonia. Investigation into the needs for surveillance and development of surveillance systems (2012-2015); research group leader Prof Arvo Viltrop;
- Transfer routes for antibiotic resistance (2012-2015); research group leader Prof Ülle Jaakma.
Research cooperation:
- Universities in Estonia: University of Tartu, Tallinn University of Technology;
- Universities abroad: University of Helsinki, University of Turku, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Cornell University, Technical University of Munich, University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, The University of Queensland, University of Bern etc.;
- R&D companies: Bio-Competence Centre of Healthy Dairy Products and Competence Centre on Reproductive Medicine and Biology;
- National authorities: Ministry of Rural Affairs and Ministry of the Environment, governmental agencies such as the Veterinary and Food Board, Estonian Environmental Board, the Estonian Veterinary and Food Laboratory, etc.;
- Industry partners: Animal Breeders´ Association of Estonia, different farmers’ organisations, agricultural and food enterprises, etc.