
Scottish blueberry breakthrough sounds a lot better than Willy Wonka's chewing gum
On being told Wonka has invented chewing gum that tastes like a three-course meal – tomato soup, roast beef with baked potato, then blueberry pie and ice cream – she ignores warnings it's not ready for human consumption and starts chewing anyway. The result is that she turns blue, expands to become a giant blueberry, and is rolled off to have the juice extracted before she explodes.
However, we're quite sure the invention of a new kind of blueberry by experts at the James Hutton Institute will come with no such (entirely fictional) risks. Instead, the ten years of research that went into the creation of the Highland Charm – the first capable of flourishing in Scotland's climate – should mean that, in about three years' time, we'll be able to have in-season, local fruit that's tastier and healthier than imports which can take weeks to reach supermarket shelves after being picked.

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Scotsman
14 hours ago
- Scotsman
Leading lights from life sciences to gather in Glasgow
Scottish Government Minister Richard Lochhead at last year's conference | Lisa Ferguson The Scotsman Life Science Conference 2025 will bring together industry leaders, innovators and researchers to discuss the most pressing topics and emerging trends in life sciences. Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The event will be held at The Social Hub in Glasgow's Merchant City on Thursday 27th November. It will explore such issues as the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), genomics and sustainability, as well as cutting-edge therapies that are transforming the landscapes of healthcare and biotechnology. This year's theme is 'Innovation with Impact' and is designed to underscore the growing role of Scottish research, technology, and entrepreneurship in addressing global health and sustainability challenges. The agenda showcases how Scotland continues to lead in life sciences collaboration, policy and practice. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Leading clinical trial laboratory services organisation IQVIA is on board as headline sponsor, with others sponsors signed-up to date including The Scottish National Investment Bank and Valneva. Among the exhibitors already confirmed are Bouygues E&S Contracting UK, Bio Dundee and Prosper. Further sponsors and exhibitors will be unveiled in the coming months. Highlights of the agenda include: From Lab to Launch – Scotland's Biotech Start-up Scene; Sustainability in Life Sciences - Innovation with Impact; AI and Big Data in Healthcare and The Future of Life Sciences in Scotland. Among the speakers confirmed are: Isabel Stevens, deputy director of strategy, opportunities, delivery and analysis at the Office for Life Sciences; Kieran Gray, opportunities lead at the Office for Life Sciences; Colin Cook, director of economic development at the Scottish Government and Mark Cook, chair of the Life Sciences Industrial Leadership Group in Scotland. Further sponsors, exhibitors and speakers will be unveiled in the coming months. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Tim Sheppard, SVP and general manager, Northern Europe and UKI at IQVIA, said: 'IQVIA has a legacy spanning four decades as a leading human data sciences partner to the Scottish life sciences ecosystem. We attract global groundbreaking clinical trials, economic inward investment and create employment in Scotland - reflected in our 1,300-strong team of scientists at our Livingston Laboratory most of whom have graduated from Scottish Universities. IQVIA is thus committed to improving the health and wealth of NHS patients and the citizens of Scotland. 'IQVIA is delighted to be the headline sponsor of the 2025 Scotsman Life Sciences Conference. This Conference brings Scotland's life science triple-helix community to inform, share and celebrate a sector which goes from strength to strength in Scotland, across the entire spectrum of life sciences. Together, the Scottish life sciences community can shape a healthier, more prosperous future for Scotland and the global community.'


Daily Record
3 days ago
- Daily Record
First blueberry designed to flourish in Scotland's climate created by scientists
Growers are "really excited" about the berry's creation. Scientists have created the first blueberry specifically designed to flourish in Scotland's climate. The discovery has left researchers "really excited". The unique blueberry has been named by its creators as the 'Highland Charm'. The fruit is the result of around 10 years of research. The Highland Charm was created as part of a programme at The James Hutton Institute. The institute's breeding site at Invergowrie saw the making of more than 300 unique blueberry crosses. Every blueberry was investigated to find a selection bred from the native north American species that can flourish in the Scottish climate. The resulting berry has been described as "a real standout". According to blueberry breeder Susan McCallum, the development of the Highland Charm has been met with enthusiasm. She stated that growers are "really excited" about its creation. McCallum commented: "This cultivar is a real standout. It combines high yields, excellent fruit size, outstanding flavour, with a balanced sugar-acid profile and a satisfying bite, and an impressive shelf life. "It is reliable and has performed well in our trials year after year, with consistent yield, size and taste." The new berry has been successfully trialled in the UK and the EU. It has consistently performed well across multiple seasons and diverse conditions. UK consumers purchase approximately 60,000 tonnes of blueberries per year. However, 90 per cent of these are imported from overseas. As part of efforts to tackle the problem, researchers are investigating how the cultivar responds under different growing conditions, as well as with reduced input systems, aligning with the industry's goals of sustainability and efficiency. McCallum hopes the new berry will inspire consumers to buy in-season and local fruit. She continued: "They are fresher with higher health benefits than imported berries that take six weeks to get from the field to the shelves. The imported fruit is often picked slightly too early and while its colour continues to develop, its flavour does not. "I guarantee people will taste the difference with in-season, local fruit and will want to go back for more." Highland Charm is currently going through the licensing process that will declare it to be a "novel and unique blueberry". It is believed that the berry will land on supermarket shelves in between two to three years. According to scientists at the James Hutton Institute, Scotland's fertile soils, abundance of clean water, and milder summer temperatures create optimal conditions for producing high-quality berries. Cooler summers extend the ripening period of soft fruit and allow for greater accumulation of sugars and acids, resulting in "a more intense, well-balanced flavour" compared to berries that ripen rapidly in hotter climates. The Hutton is an internationally renowned research centre whose breeding programme supports the entire fruit supply chain from growers to marketing organisations and retailers.


Scotsman
3 days ago
- Scotsman
Formal NHS partner backs ‘transformative healthcare ambitions' of Scotland's first National Innovation Week
Scotland's first National Innovation Week will take place this autumn, including renewed health and life sciences goals – a move welcomed by formal NHS partner InnoScot Health. Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The organisation believes the announcement is 'bold, ambitious, and potentially transformative for inward investment aspirations' as the country aims to showcase its many world-leading capabilities to global investors. The gathering, taking place from Monday, September 22 to Friday, September 26, will throw the spotlight on the country's life sciences breakthroughs, leading data and digital technologies, advanced manufacturing, and energy transition, as well as Scotland's key role in developing industries of the future. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Innovation Commercialisation Manager at InnoScot Health, Frances Ramsay said: 'The announcement of Scotland's first ever National Innovation Week isn't just the rollout of an annual event – instead, it represents the start of an exciting push for a new type of collective national ambition with sights set higher. Innovation Commercialisation Manager at InnoScot Health, Frances Ramsay. 'It is bold, ambitious, and potentially transformative for inward investment aspirations. 'Following on from the country's recent successful trade mission to Japan, the week's focus is firmly on fostering international engagement, capitalising on competitive advantage in key areas of national strength – as set out in Scotland's National Innovation Strategy – and encouraging cross-sector collaboration for expansion of global presence. 'We are particularly pleased to note that health and life sciences are high on the week's progressive agenda for knowledge exchange and relationship building. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It is our belief that accelerating innovation identified by NHS Scotland staff, in tandem with the right support, can be key to unlocking vital health service improvements while placing our country on the map as a world-class hub of clinical creativity.' Featuring a centrepiece summit taking place at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) on Thursday 25 September, the National Innovation Week will celebrate Scotland's rich heritage of world-leading breakthroughs. It will also showcase the country's global leadership in pioneering the transformative technologies as well as its role in driving the industries of the future. Frances continued: 'We are particularly looking forward to the summit and its build-up which will no doubt have many international eyes on it. We must take full advantage of the opportunity to drive home the unique skills which Scotland can offer in abundance.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad During a recent visit to visit to ONE BioHub, a focal point for life sciences in Aberdeen, Business Minister Richard Lochhead – an InnoScot Health webinar guest speaker last year – said: 'Scotland's first National Innovation Week marks a pivotal moment to turn ambition into action and cement our place as a truly global innovation nation. 'Today we stand at the forefront of the next wave of transformative technologies which not only offer immense potential for economic growth but also powerful tools to tackle the global challenges of our time – from healthcare and energy to climate change. 'Companies across Scotland are speeding up the development of new drugs and medicines through automation, pioneering the energy systems of the future and developing the space and satellite technology to help tackle climate change – to give just a few examples.