A research and diagnostic laboratory specialising in Vitamin D biology research in companion, production and wild animals
Vitamin D Animal Laboratory (VitDAL)
Led by Professor Richard Mellanby, we explore the relationship between vitamin D, inflammation and health outcomes in companion, farm and wild animals.
Research
VitDAL is based in the Roslin Institute and the Queen’s Medical Research Institute at the University of Edinburgh and brings together expertise in clinical veterinary endocrionology and nutrition, proteomics and immunology with the overarching ambition of advancing understanding of vitamin D biology in all species.
Assay Service
The VitDAL have developed an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) assay to accurately key vitamin D metabolites in serum and plasma.
Latest News
Dr Richard Mellanby awarded Petplan Scientific Award
Dr Richard Mellanby was awarded the 2016 Petplan Scientific Achievement Award at BSAVA. In the award citation by David Simpson, the chairman of the Petplan Board of Trustees, highlighted that the award was in recognition of Richard's contribution to veterinary...
Paper from VitDAL published in JSAP
The latest paper from the VitDAL was published today. Dr Mellanby's essay in Journal of Small Animal Practice discussed the growing evidence that vitamin D can influence the biology of both skeletal and non-skeletal tissues of companion animals. The paper highlights...
Poster Prize awarded to VitDAL at 2016 Vitamin D Workshop Conference
Research undertaken by the VitDAL was awarded a prestigious poster prize at the Annual Vitamin D workshop held in Boston. This conference is the largest annual gathering of researchers engaged in vitamin D research. Dr Mellanby presented the VitDAL initial research on...