AFBI bacteriologist Dr Adrian Allen receives a prestigious Fulbright Award to the US

Bacteriologist, Dr Adrian Allen from the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), has received a Northern Ireland Public Sector Fulbright Award to enable him to research at the University of New Hampshire on one of the most prestigious and selective scholarship programmes operating world-wide.

As a participant, Cookstown native Dr Allen has been selected to spend 3 months in the United States, at the laboratory of Dr Jeff Foster, University of New Hampshire, to sequence the genomes of the pathogen Brucella abortus, the causative bacterium of the bovine brucellosis. Brucellosis, which can be caused by a number of different Brucella species, is the world’s most common zoonosis and a cause of chronic, debilitating infection in humans and widespread reproductive and other losses in livestock.  

Commenting on receiving the award, Dr Allen said: I was delighted to receive the Fulbright scholarship which gives me such a fantastic opportunity to work on an important project and further develop my analytical skills. My work will involve applying the latest molecular techniques to better understand how brucellosis spreads. A key objective will be to further develop AFBI’s skill base in the latest genome sequencing techniques and to be in a position to apply these skills to a variety of other animal diseases and pathogens.

Penny Egan, Executive Director, US-UK Fulbright Commission said: “I know our 2015 cohort will do us great credit during their time in the US and beyond. Only exceptional scholars and students win Fulbright awards: one of the world’s most competitive merit-based international scholarships.”
Amy Moore, Director of the Fulbright Awards Programme, added: “It's very rewarding seeing a group of talented, inspirational and very deserving individuals, embark on a life-changing trip to the US. This year's cohort are no exception, and have been carefully selected for their impressive accomplishments, academic excellence, and a genuine desire to delve into US culture, collaborate with new people and experience new ideas.”

The US-UK Fulbright Commission is the only bi-lateral, transatlantic scholarship programme, offering awards for study or research in any field, at any accredited US or UK University. The Commission is part of the Fulbright programme conceived by Senator J William Fulbright in the aftermath of World War II to promote leadership, learning and empathy between nations through educational exchange. Award recipients and summer programme participants will be the future leaders for tomorrow and support the “special relationship” between the US and UK.
The Commission selects scholars through a rigorous application and interview process. In making these awards the Commission looks not only for academic excellence but a focused application, a range of extracurricular and community activities, demonstrated ambassadorial skills, a desire to further the Fulbright Programme and a plan to give back to the recipient’s home country upon returning.

Typical grants include a maintenance allowance and a contribution towards tuition fees where applicable. In addition, Fulbright scholars receive a distinctive support and cultural education programme including: visa processing, a comprehensive pre-departure orientation, enrichment opportunities in country, a re-entry session and opportunity to join our alumni networks.

Dr Adrian Allen Bio: Adrian Allen is a research scientist based in Belfast. He graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with a Biochemistry Degree in 1998, and a PhD in 2001. Since 2004, he has worked at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute with a focus on population genetics of animals and bacteria. Recently, he has been exploring the population structure and molecular epidemiology of the livestock disease, brucellosis, which until recently has been the cause of significant economic losses to the Northern Ireland livestock industry.

During his 3 month Fulbright award at the University of New Hampshire at the laboratory of Dr Jeffrey Foster, Adrian will be undertaking genome sequencing of key bacterial samples from the epidemic in an effort to better understand disease transmission dynamics. Adrian has a keen interest in politics and the outdoors and is looking forward to making the most of his time in New Hampshire.

Notes to editors: 

Full details regarding the awards, including the selection criteria, benefits and awards categories, can be found at www.fulbright.org.uk/fulbright-awards.  For information about past scholars please visit the Meet Our Fulbrighters section of the website at www.fulbright.org.uk/about/meet-our-Fulbrighters

About the US-UK Fulbright Commission: The US-UK Fulbright Commission was created by treaty on 22 September 1948. The Fulbright Commission offers grants at postgraduate and postdoctoral level for study in any discipline and at any accredited institution in the US and UK, as well as a number of special exchanges programmes for shorter projects or for younger scholars. During the last six decades, approximately 15,000 UK nationals have studied in the US and 12,000 US nationals in the UK as part of the Fulbright Programme. Prominent alumni of the Fulbright Programme include poet Sylvia Plath, Charles Kennedy MP, journalist and author and Commissioner Toby Young and the economist and noble prize winner Milton Friedman.

About the Fulbright Awards Programme: Each year, the Commission supports around UK and US citizens to study, lecture, conduct research or focus on professional development at leading institutions in the US and UK respectively. Nearly 300,000 extraordinary women and men from all over the world have had their lives changed as participants in the Fulbright Programme. Of these alumni, approximately 15,000 UK nationals have studied in the US and nearly 12,000 US nationals in the UK on our educational exchange programmes.

About the Fulbright Advisory Service: The US-UK Fulbright Commission also supports US-UK exchange through its Advisory Service. The Fulbright Advising Team provides a wide range of information and hosts events for individuals interested in any level of US study.  The Fulbright Advisory Service is the UK’s only official source of information on educational opportunities in the US and is part of the EducationUSA network of over 450 US advising centres worldwide.

About the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI): 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. 

All studies at AFBI Hillsborough have the overriding objective of ‘Advancing Animal Science, Improving Livestock Farming’.

Share this page