FAO Reference Centres for animal health are institutions designated by the Director-General to provide specific and technical advice and services to FAO Member Countries on issues related to FAO’s mandate. FAO invites institutions and universities to apply to become a reference centre in any of the 25 thematic areas that are critical for the Member Countries. Other areas will be identified as needs arise.
The Pirbright Institute
Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, GU24 0NF, United Kingdom
Donald King
[email protected]
IN PARTNERSHIP SINCE: 01/04/2024
COUNTRY: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
AREAS OF COLLABORATION: Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)
The Pirbright Institute
The Pirbright Institute Ash Road, Pirbright,Surrey, GU24 0NF, United Kingdom
Carrie Batten
IN PARTNERSHIP SINCE: 10/03/2025
COUNTRY: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
AREAS OF COLLABORATION: Lumpy skin disease (LSD)
The Pirbright Institute
Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, GU24 0NF, United Kingdom
Carrie Batten[email protected]
IN PARTNERSHIP SINCE: 06/06/2024
COUNTRY: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
AREAS OF COLLABORATION: Rinderpest
Universidad de València
Av. Blasco Ibáñez 13, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Santiago Mas-Coma
[email protected]
IN PARTNERSHIP SINCE: 02/04/2024
COUNTRY: Spain
AREAS OF COLLABORATION: Parasitology
Utrecht University and Wageningen Bioveterinary Research
Utrecht University , Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences , Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology
P.O. Box 80.165, 3508 TD Utrecht, the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Jaap Wagenaar
[email protected]
Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR) - Wageningen University and Research (WUR)
P.O. Box 65, 8200 AB Lelystad, the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Kees Veldman
[email protected]
IN PARTNERSHIP SINCE: 15/09/2026
COUNTRY: Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
AREAS OF COLLABORATION: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
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FAO Reference Centres: The fight against animal diseases
Animal diseases threaten both food security and human health worldwide. FAO’s global network of Reference Centres plays a crucial role in combating these diseases by providing technical expertise, supporting early detection, and enhancing disease control measures.
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FAO Global Conference 2024 - Reference Centres, laboratories and support networks
Find out more about the importance of innovation and collaboration among stakeholders to improve animal health systems and support sustainable livestock production.
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The importance of vaccines and vaccination programmes
Interviewees discuss and highlight the different challenges that a vaccine campaign can encounter, from production of quality vaccines, to supply chain, delivery and post vaccination monitoring.
FAO Reference Centre Dialogue on One Health puts collective expertise into focus
02/10/2026
Collaboration across disciplines and institutions was at the heart of the FAO Reference Centre Dialogue held at FAO headquarters in Rome on 21 September...
FAO and IZSVe strengthen laboratory capacity for avian influenza, Newcastle disease and rabies
24/02/2026
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe) are strengthening...
Highlights
Strengthening animal health: The role of FAO Reference Centres
03/11/2025
FAO Reference Centres play a crucial role in strengthening the animal health system globally through advanced diagnostics, improving surveillance,...