A Look at Our New Reference Centres

Celebrating New Designations in 2025

This year, WOAH is proud to announce the designation of ten new Reference Centres, including five Reference Laboratories and five Collaborating Centres. We reached out to the newly designated institutions for a statement, and the following responded to our call.

From our new Collaborating Centres

Collaborating Centres have expertise in specific specialities with a main focus area relating to the management of general questions on animal health issues. Here is a closer look at our new Centres and their expertise.

WOAH Collaborating Centre for Advanced Training in Livestock Health, Canada

The World Veterinary Education in Production Animal Health (WVEPAH) is the second branch of the European Association for Veterinary Specialization, a non-profit organisation founded in Luxembourg in 1989. WVEPAH was established in 2010, with the support of WOAH, in response to the important need for more training of professionals in the field of production animals and to provide accreditation through a standardised exam. WVEPAH is a supranational platform with its academic home at the Université de Montréal (UdeM) in Canada. It is an independent, non-profit organisation offering advanced practical training in health management for veterinarians and professionals working directly in the health and welfare of production animals — specifically poultry, aquaculture, swine and, eventually, dairy.

With the aim of empowering veterinary professionals to contribute to the sustainability of human nutrition, WVEPAH has instructors worldwide recognised for their expertise in applied veterinary medicine. This allows us to provide an internationally recognised certification of competency via a rigorous examination process. The UdeM delivers the ‘Professional Certificate in Production Animal Health’ in specific specialties and assumes the training quality control. This diploma includes a regulatory module taught by a WOAH professional and validated by WOAH. Over the past 15 years, we have built a global network of professionals who have completed our training, so that they may benefit from each other’s experience and expertise. Ultimately, we aim to build a community of animal production health professionals. We believe that this international community will help develop the expertise of its members by sharing experiences and offering collaborating opportunities.

Over the next five years, we plan on working more closely with the capacity building and education section of WOAH to support its training mission. We plan to offer sufficient training hours and academic support to develop a non-thesis Master’s degree. Graduates will be best positioned to contribute to the training of colleagues within WVEPAH or as part of other learning organisations. To achieve this, we are seeking funding from foundations and international organisations to subsidise the tuition of participants from developing countries and assist with the development of training modules. We are also fostering training opportunities in collaboration with universities and with international organisations, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Ultimately, WVEPAH wants to create a certification process like American and European colleges in regions where such certification is not yet available. Inspired by existing colleges of specialty, such as the American College of Poultry Veterinarians, our model will be adapted to the regional field reality with exams offered in the main languages of each region — Latin America, Africa and Asia.

WOAH Collaborating Centre for One Health, Kenya

The International Livestock Research Institution (ILRI) is a Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) centre co-hosted by Kenya and Ethiopia with headquarters in Nairobi and Addis Ababa and 14 offices across Asia and Africa. ILRI has a long-standing record of using a One Health approach to address challenges at the animal, human and environment interfaces in low- and middle-income countries.

As a WOAH Collaborating Centre for One Health, ILRI will focus on animal health management by advancing research, capacity building and policy engagement across several key areas:

• Disease prevention, including zoonotic and emerging pathogens, through surveillance and early warning systems.
• Biosecurity and value chain interventions to reduce disease risks.
• Epidemiological modelling, socio-economic impact assessments and policy engagement.
• Climate-smart strategies to address animal health vulnerabilities linked to environmental change.

WOAH Collaborating Centre for Wildlife Trade and Wildlife Health, Singapore

The WOAH Collaborating Centre for Wildlife Trade and Wildlife Health, hosted by the Centre for Wildlife Forensics (CWF) under Singapore’s National Parks Board, specialises in promoting safe and sustainable wildlife trade while protecting biodiversity and wildlife health in the Asia-Pacific region. As Singapore’s first national wildlife forensics facility and one of Asia’s first CITES-registered forensics laboratories, the Centre focuses on managing threats to wildlife health such as illegal wildlife trade and transboundary disease risks, especially through forensics capabilities. The Centre champions a One Health approach to wildlife trade regulation, biodiversity conservation, and the management of human–wildlife–ecosystem interfaces. Its work encompasses wildlife forensics, biosurveillance, capacity building in regulatory frameworks, and research on species identification and provenance as well as advanced pathogen detection and genomic analyses systems for and diseases of high-risk wildlife species involved in both legal and illegal trade.

The Centre’s specialties include:

Wildlife trade regulation and forensics

• Application of wildlife forensics capabilities for combatting illegal wildlife trade.
• Capacity building for implementation of biosecurity and sanitary regulations.
• Development of harmonised guidelines for wildlife trade.
• Outreach and building multi-stakeholder networks in wildlife trade regulation with respect to disease and conservation.

A scientific approach to safeguarding regional wildlife health, biodiversity and conservation

• Development of expertise in regional cross-border disease risks, biosurveillance, response and mitigation.
• Capacity building in biodiversity, wildlife management and conservation frameworks within an urban context.
• Using Singapore’s existing One Health governance and collaboration framework to engage the regional One Health network on wildlife health and biodiversity conservation efforts.

The Collaborating Centre for Wildlife Trade and Wildlife Health is expected to serve as a regional centre of excellence for wildlife health that advances WOAH’s strategic objectives in the Asia-Pacific region. Through its multi-disciplinary expertise and networks, the Centre will drive initiatives in three key areas:

• Promoting sustainable and legal wildlife trade with robust health safeguards.
• Enhancing regional wildlife health and biodiversity conservation through scientific research and capability building.
• Strengthening regional partnerships for collaborative protection of wildlife health.

WOAH Collaborating Centre for Wildlife Health Surveillance and Epidemiology, Thailand

The WOAH Collaborating Centre for Wildlife Health Surveillance and Epidemiology is situated within the Thailand National Wildlife Health Center (Thailand-NWHC), as well as the Monitoring and Surveillance Center for Zoonotic Diseases in Wildlife and Exotic Animals (MoZWE), which is housed by the Faculty of Veterinary Science at Mahidol University, Salaya Campus, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.

The Centre’s primary focus encompasses wildlife health surveillance, the investigation of disease spillover events within wildlife populations and at the human–wildlife interface, and laboratory diagnostics for emerging zoonotic diseases, wildlife diseases and diseases in exotic pets.

The principal objectives of the Centre are threefold:

• To support wildlife health surveillance for both captive and non-captive wildlife, as well as exotic pets, while fostering regional surveillance networking.
• To promote research and innovation in the fields of epidemiology and laboratory diagnostics, with the aim of detecting emerging diseases originating from wildlife and conducting ongoing surveillance.
• To enhance laboratory capacity building in the Asia-Pacific region and to establish a collaborative laboratory network.

These initiatives will facilitate the exchange of techniques and knowledge derived from research and expertise related to wildlife health. The Centre also offers scientific expertise through training programmes, expert exchanges, student exchanges and academic services for undergraduates, graduates and postgraduates, in addition to providing laboratory technical services.

WOAH Collaborating Centre Consortium for Research, Diagnosis and Surveillance of Wildlife Pathogens adds the Wildlife Conservation Society as a new member, United States of America

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has joined the WOAH Collaborating Centre Consortium for Research, Diagnosis and Surveillance of Wildlife Pathogens formally connecting WCS with the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC) and the US Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC). The focus area of the WCS-CWHC-NWHC Collaborating Centre is Wildlife Health and Biodiversity. WCS is the first conservation organisation to receive this designation, which is a recognition of WCS’s global leadership in science, One Health and surveillance, transboundary disease detection, and biodiversity conservation.

WCS operates the most extensive health programme among international wildlife conservation organisations, with health-specific initiatives active in over 20 countries. Over the next five years, the Collaborating Centre will work with WOAH and its Members to strengthen wildlife health surveillance networks from the local to national level. This effort will focus on building cross-sectoral capacity, improving data systems, and aligning policies with field implementation and local needs. By enhancing surveillance and response systems at the wildlife–livestock–human interface, the Collaborating Centre will contribute to global efforts to reduce opportunities for pathogen emergence and the evolution of novel pathogens, support early detection and pandemic prevention, and advance ecological integrity. 

Goal 1: Strengthen Global Wildlife Health Surveillance

• Contribute to the WCS-CWHC-NWHC Collaborating Centre for Wildlife Health and Biodiversity 5-year strategy to advance wildlife health surveillance globally, aligning with the WOAH Wildlife Health Framework.
• Expand and operationalise WildHealthNet to create self-sustaining, locally adapted wildlife health surveillance networks in biodiversity hotspots such as Madagascar, Peru, and Guatemala. 

Goal 2: Promote Standardised Practices

• Support the adoption of WOAH’s 2024 guidelines on wildlife disease risks and surveillance through targeted training, practical tools, and robust policy engagement.
• Develop and implement best practices and standardised data protocols to overcome challenges in wildlife health monitoring and ensure seamless data integration.

Goal 3: Foster Global Collaboration

• Scale the Wildlife Health Intelligence Network (WHIN) to unify stakeholders and harmonised methodologies, data models, and tools for wildlife health surveillance.
• Build capacity from local to global levels for wildlife health intelligence by fostering strong partnerships with WOAH, its Members, and other key actors.

Goal 4: Enhance One Health Readiness

• Integrate wildlife health data into WOAH’s national, regional, and global systems to improve early detection and response to diseases using the 7-1-7 framework.
• Engage local environmental sector actors to embed ecosystem health considerations into collaborative surveillance systems and global health networks.

Goal 5: Lead in Conservation and One Health

• Leverage WCS’s expertise in over 55 countries to unify efforts across wildlife, domestic animal, and human health sectors, creating broad support for public health and conservation.
• Showcase how One Health solutions can tackle health and conservation challenges to protect wildlife, livelihoods, and global health.

Dr Chris Walzer serves as the Centre Director for the WCS WOAH Collaborating Centre and leads our engagement and coordination with Dr Damien Joly and Dr LeAnn White, the Centre Directors of the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative and USGS National Wildlife Health Center, respectively. Said Dr Walzer, WCS Executive Director of Health, ‘WCS brings field-based transdisciplinary implementation and research experience, global partnerships, and innovative technologies that complement and extend the impact of existing WOAH Collaborating Centres. This collaboration allows us to collectively advance science-based solutions to global health threats emerging at wildlife-livestock-human interfaces’.

From our new Reference Laboratories

WOAH Reference Laboratories are designated to pursue all the scientific and technical problems relating to a named animal disease or specific topic. Below is a description of our new Reference Laboratories and their expertise.

WOAH Reference Laboratory for infection with decapod iridescent virus 1 (DIV1), China (People’s Rep. of)

We are honoured that our laboratory has been designated as a WOAH Reference Laboratory for Infection with decapod iridescent virus 1 (DIV1). This appointment marks a significant step forward in addressing the growing concern regarding the health of aquatic species, particularly crustaceans, which are vital to global ecosystems and the aquaculture industry. DIV1 is a highly impactful virus that affects decapod species, and our laboratory is dedicated to advancing diagnostic, research and prevention efforts to mitigate the risk it poses.

Our vision and expectations for the next five years

As a WOAH Reference Laboratory for DIV1, we are committed to improving the global understanding of this virus and its effects on aquatic species. Over the next five years, we aim to:

• Enhance diagnostic capacities: We will focus on developing and validating diagnostic tools for the accurate detection of DIV1 in both clinically affected and apparently healthy hosts. This will involve creating rapid, cost-effective diagnostic tests that can be deployed in diverse settings, particularly in aquaculture operations.
• Conduct research: Our laboratory will work towards identifying viral characteristics, host–virus interactions, and environmental factors that influence the spread of DIV1. Our research will focus on the genetic diversity of the virus and its potential impact on aquaculture industries globally.
• Provide expert guidance and training: We will offer training and capacity-building programmes for aquaculture professionals and other reference laboratories in the diagnosis and management of DIV1 outbreaks. Our aim is to enhance the surveillance and control of the virus, thereby reducing its impact on the industry.
• Global collaboration: We will collaborate with WOAH, international reference laboratories, and regional partners to ensure the effective monitoring of DIV1 outbreaks and share information on best practices for the control and prevention of infections.
• Strengthen biosecurity protocols: We will develop and disseminate biosecurity strategies tailored to prevent the spread of DIV1 in aquatic environments. This will be particularly critical in ensuring that aquaculture systems can operate sustainably and minimise the risk of virus transmission.

We are excited to take on this important role and contribute to the global effort in managing aquatic animal diseases. We look forward to collaborating with WOAH, other Reference Laboratories and international stakeholders to ensure the health and safety of aquatic species worldwide.

WOAH Reference Laboratories for equine piroplasmosis, India

The laboratory has been working on equine piroplasmosis for more than 15 years. We developed state-of-the-art research facilities for the serological and molecular diagnosis of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi. The laboratory has all the expertise for the in-vitro culture of parasites and their confirmation. The laboratory provides expert advice on the diagnosis and control of this disease.

The laboratory is looking forward to expanding its diagnostic capabilities by developing novel rapid point-of-care diagnostic tools for early screening of infected animals. In recent years, new advances have been reported in genotyping of T. equi and B. caballi. There is a need to develop and validate new diagnostic tests that can detect the globally prevalent T. equi and B. caballi genotypes. The laboratory will initiate research in this direction through an international collaboration with another laboratory.

We also aim to organise training programmes and workshops for veterinarians and researchers to enhance the diagnostic capabilities and promote the establishment of basic facilities. This will help in effective control of the disease condition. The laboratory aims to take advantage of WOAH’s collaborative platform to advance research initiatives and foster global partnerships to improve disease control. These efforts will further align with and reinforce WOAH’s mission.

WOAH Reference Laboratory for infection with Aphanomyces invadans, India

The WOAH Reference Laboratory for infection with Aphanomyces invadans (epizootic ulcerative syndrome, EUS) is part of the Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory under the Exotics and Aquatic Animal Health Division of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR), Lucknow, India. The institute is coordinating two national flagship programmes, namely the National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases and the All India Network Project on Antimicrobial Resistance in Fisheries and Livestock. The laboratory has the expertise and necessary infrastructure for diagnosis of WOAH-listed and emerging diseases of aquatic animals. As a designated WOAH Reference Laboratory for EUS, over the next five years, the laboratory envisions to:

• Provide scientific and technical support to national/regional laboratories, for improving EUS diagnosis, surveillance, and outbreak response for EUS.
• Undertake research on the molecular epidemiology of A. invadans and engage actively with WOAH’s global aquatic animal health initiatives.
• Continue to organise inter-laboratory testing to validate diagnostic assays for EUS, ensuring alignment with WOAH-recommended procedures and promote inter-laboratory consistency.
• Organise regular training programmes/workshops for fish health researchers and fisheries officers to enhance diagnostic competency and promote best practices in EUS management.

Through national programmes such as the National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases and the All India Network Project on Antimicrobial Resistance in Fisheries and Livestock, the laboratory will continue to integrate national priorities with global goals to safeguard aquatic animal health.

WOAH Reference Laboratory for equine rhinopneumonitis, Japan

The Equine Research Institute belongs to the Japan Racing Association, which is the horse-racing authority. Controlling infectious diseases is critical to ensure the operation of horse racing and equestrian events, as well as horse reproduction. This laboratory has been working on various aspects on equine rhinopneumonitis, such as field surveillance and assessment of vaccination programmes, through a public–private partnership scheme. Based on a decades-long multitude of experience in research and diagnostics, this new WOAH Reference Laboratory for equine rhinopneumonitis provides expertise, consultations, laboratory testing services and reference materials such as positive control sera. The laboratory is looking forward to working with WOAH Members.

WOAH Reference Laboratory for African swine fever, Spain

Recently designated as a WOAH Reference Laboratory for African swine fever (ASF), the Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA/CSIC) in Spain brings over 25 years of technical and scientific experience in ASF diagnosis, molecular characterisation and laboratory capacity building. Our designation reflects a long-standing commitment to supporting national and international efforts to prevent and control this transboundary animal disease.

The global ASF situation remains critical. The continued expansion of genotype II across five continents – Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Americas – alongside the persistent circulation of diverse ASFV genotypes in sub-Saharan Africa, underscores the urgent need for coordinated surveillance systems and harmonised diagnostic approaches.

Over the next five years as a WOAH Reference Laboratory we aim to:

• Promote the harmonisation and standardisation of ASF diagnostic techniques in line with WOAH recommendations, ensuring reliability and comparability across laboratories;
• Support national and regional laboratories through tailored training programmes, inter-laboratory proficiency testing and expert missions, with a focus on building sustainable diagnostic networks;
• Provide technical support during ASF outbreaks, including confirmatory testing, molecular characterisation, and guidance for early detection and containment;
• Advance molecular epidemiology by applying multi-gene genotyping strategies to trace virus evolution and transmission dynamics across regions;
• Facilitate data sharing and collaboration with other WOAH Reference Centres, regional networks and international stakeholders to strengthen the global ASF knowledge base;
• Contribute to the development of evidence-based surveillance, preparedness and response strategies in endemic, newly affected and at-risk areas.

We strongly believe that the effectiveness of the global response to ASF relies on the close collaboration between all institutions that form the WOAH ASF network. By working together – sharing knowledge, aligning technical practices, and supporting one another – we can better protect animal health and mitigate the impact of this devastating disease worldwide.

We thank our new Reference Centres for their valuable contributions, and we look forward to our collective collaboration. 

For more information about WOAH Reference Centres, please contact: [email protected]. 

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Main photo: © Unsplash/National Cancer Institute