NAHLN-NBAF Partnership

Last Modified: March 13, 2024

A review team comprising experts from APHIS, the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), and NAHLN identified five key NAHLN facilities across the country to each host a scientist to work on this collaborative project. 

These scientists are to specialize in evaluating and developing diagnostics for animal and zoonotic diseases. They are tasked with collaborating across the organizations and responsible for evaluating local, regional, national, and international threats and ensuring the NAHLN laboratories have the tools necessary to diagnose emerging threats.
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Host Laboratories

NAHLN-NBAF Region Map

These five NAHLN laboratories were selected by the NAHLN coordination team to host a scientist for the new NAHLN-NBAF Partnership to Improve Early Detection of Emerging Diseases:

RegionStateLaboratoryFocus
 1New YorkCornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Center & New York State Veterinary Diagnostic LaboratoryThis Level 1 NAHLN laboratory will focus on the development of next generation sequencing and improved molecular and serological assays for emerging, reemerging, and high-consequence infectious diseases of livestock, domestic, and wildlife species.
2VirginiaVirginia Tech Animal Laboratory ServicesThis Level 2 NAHLN laboratory will focus on molecular diagnostics and molecular epidemiology with an emphasis on massively parallel sequencing in a diagnostic setting.
3MichiganMichigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic LaboratoryThis Level 1 NAHLN laboratory will leverage its Emerging Technology Committee to identify next-generation technologies to enhance infectious disease detection in multiple species.
4ArizonaArizona Veterinary Diagnostic LaboratoryThis Level 2 NAHLN laboratory will focus on next generation sequencing to detect novel disease across the U.S./Mexico border.
5WashingtonWashington Animal Disease Diagnostic LaboratoryThis Level 1 NAHLN laboratory will focus on next generation sequencing and surveillance test development for high-consequence diseases in avian production and aquaculture and at the livestock-wildlife interface from Alaska across the U.S./Canada border.

The overarching goal of the NAHLN-NBAF Partnership is to expand the reach of NBAF while simultaneously enhancing the capabilities and capacities of the NAHLN. Fiscal year (FY) 2024 marks the first year that the NAHLN-NBAF Partnership will be implemented.

About the Partnership

The NBAF Partnership Funds Program provided funding for these laboratories as part of an overall strategy to help prevent animal pests and diseases from entering the United States and reduce the spread and impact of potential disease incursions through advance planning and preparedness.

The projected 4-year program will enhance the Nation’s veterinary diagnostic laboratory systems to respond to immediate, emerging animal health threats with improved diagnostics to sustain the U.S. agricultural well-being.

To improve detection of significant emerging and foreign animal diseases through four major objectives:

  1. The regional scientist, in coordination with NBAF and NAHLN leadership, will develop and implement regional risk assessment. The assessments will evaluate species priorities within the region, forecast emerging disease threats and produce matrices to assist with risk mitigation strategies.
  2. The regional scientist and host laboratories will utilize their subject matter expertise to evaluate current diagnostic assay capabilities and develop novel tests, systems, and procedures to recognize emerging animal disease threats earlier.
  3. With guidance from the NAHLN Program Office, the regional scientist will help develop response preparedness with gap and needs analysis, preparation of supply stockpiles to respond in emergencies, and participation in realistic evaluations through periodic exercises.
  4. Finally, the regional scientist will communicate and collaborate with other NAHLN members to ensure program products can be applied to the greatest extent possible.
  • Ultimately, the partnership program will develop an emerging disease response plan based on regional risk assessments and engagement of stakeholders to communicate program priorities.
  • The NAHLN Program Office will coordinate scientist activities and liaise with NBAF leadership to establish program priorities by species and disease.
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