Methods Development and Analytics
Many advances are only made possible through new technologies. The CD possesses the expertise and infrastructure for developing and validating cutting-edge analytical and molecular-genetic technologies and methods and implementing them in research projects or enforcement tasks inter alia in its ISO 17025-accredited laboratories (STS 0077; STS 0223). Jointly developed projects are run with internal and external project partners. Among the most important topics are:
- Quality assurance in the manufacturing of feed and food through e.g. analytical, microbiological and sensory monitoring;
- Development of innovative laboratory and analytics methods, new reference methods, and bioinformatics pipelines for analysing and integrating genome, transcriptome and metagenome data;
- Genetic characterisation of agronomically relevant organisms, e.g. for the development of new genetic identification tests;
- Analytical researching of quality-determining parameters in sample material, e.g. the characterisation of proteins, metabolites and metabolic processes.
Division staff are recognised experts in national and international organisations, supervise PhD students, apprentices, and visiting researchers.
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Research Groups
Index
Animal Biology
The ‘Animal Biology’ Research Group engages with a wide variety of fields, with the focus on research into animal production using both biological and biochemical techniques. The Group aims to optimise beef and pork production systems and therefore interacts with various stakeholders in the sector, from abattoir to consumer by way of the laboratory.
Feed Biology
The 'Feed Biology' Group is devoted to the analysis of livestock feed and pet food to monitor the market and guarantee healthy, authentic and high-quality feed and food in conformity with the legislation. The main activities involve determining botanical composition and researching undesirable contaminants (poisonous or invasive plants, waste material, etc.), microorganisms (bacteria, moulds or yeasts), animal meal or genetically modified organisms.
Feed Chemistry
The ‘Feed Chemistry’ Research Group provides analytical support for Agroscope research projects and for the Official Inspection of Feed (legal tasks). The Group analyses and develops methods for maintaining effective, cutting-edge analysis responding to the needs of agronomic research. The laboratories are ISO 17025-accredited. The Group trains apprentice chemistry laboratory technicians.
Wine Quality
The ’Wine Quality’ Research Group is responsible for the analytical monitoring of Agroscope’s viticultural and oenological trials, from grape to finished wine. As an accredited reference laboratory, it contributes to the standardisation and development of official methods in the oenological realm. The Group’s research focuses on the analysis of harvest and wine quality markers in combination with sensorial analysis.
Biochemistry of Milk and Microorganisms
The ‘Biochemistry of Milk and Microorganisms’ Research Group studies and researches into foods and food-associated microorganisms, their interactions, and the breakdown of foods in the human digestive tract. The focus is on the development and validation of new biochemical analytical methods and transfer of the scientific findings to the various areas of food- and nutritional research.
Fermentation Organisms
The ‘Fermentation Organisms’ Group contributes to the understanding of the role played by microorganisms associated with fermented foods and to the improvement of the quality of said foods through the development and application of a wide range of microbiological and molecular genotyping, detection and sequencing analyses. Maintaining and making available the microorganisms from its collection and analysing the bacteriophages also form part of the Group’s activities.
Ingredients
The ’Ingredients’ Research Group develops quantitative and semi-quantitative analytical methods for dairy products and different biological fluids. The Group also provides analytical support for Agroscope research projects and for the expert reports conducted by our consultants in the dairy products sector. Other services are provided as part of legal tasks. Our laboratories are ISO-17025 accredited.
Research Group Environmental Analytics
The ‘Environmental Analytics’ Research Group supports and serves Agroscope researchers in chemical-analytical matters. In addition, it contributes with methodology development and its own research projects to an improved understanding of the fate and behaviour of substances in the anthroposphere, the agricultural sector and the environment. Its target analytes range from heavy metals to microplastics by way of organic micropollutants.
Molecular Ecology
All living creatures contribute to the operation and stability of ecosystems with their diversity and range of different functions. Many of these functions and traits are determined in the DNA of the organisms. The ‘Molecular Ecology’ Research Group works on and supports genetic diversity-related projects with cutting-edge molecular-biological and bioinformatic approaches.
Molecular Diagnostics of Regulated Plant Pests
Global trade and climate change are leading to the more-rapid spread and the increasingly frequent introduction of plant pest organisms. Early and accurate diagnosis can prevent the spread of these organisms. The ‘Molecular Diagnosis of Regulated Plant Pest’ Research Group works on the molecular diagnostics necessary for the implementation of phytosanitary law as part of Agroscope's enforcement tasks, and develops diagnostic methods in collaboration with international expert bodies.