IFR’s International Office team recently took up an invitation to visit the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) at its headquarters in Belfast.

As well as briefing AFBI colleagues on IFR’s science mission and capabilities, Professor Tim Brocklehurst and Ken I’Anson held stimulating conversations with AFBI colleagues and identified opportunities for joint activity including Horizon 2020 proposals, scientific consultancy services, and complementary science interests. Possible next steps include a visit by AFBI colleagues to IFR to explore some of these possibilities in more detail.

“AFBI is a large and impressive applied research organisation with capabilities and research spanning the food chain pre and post farm gate,” commented Ken I’Anson. “Given the common interests of the two organisations, the possibilities for collaboration between IFR and AFBI scientists look promising.”

The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) is a leading provider of scientific research and services to government, non-governmental and commercial organisations. With its unique breadth of facilities and scientific capability in agriculture, animal health, food, environment, biosciences and economics, AFBI conducts a wide range of valuable projects for both the public and private sectors. You can find out more about AFBI at http://www.afbini.gov.uk/