Connect. Identify. Protect.
The National Plant Biosecurity Diagnostic Network (NPBDN) is delighted to announce that registrations are now open for the virtual Annual Diagnostics Workshop (ADW) 2024-25.
Virtual ADW 2024-25 is exclusive to NPBDN members and will consist of four webinars held between November 2024 and April 2025. The first webinar will take place on Wednesday, 13 November.
The session will focus on Plant Virology, with an emphasis on tobamoviruses and the tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV). Invited speakers include:
- Dr Adrian Fox (Fera Scientific, United Kingdom)
- Prof Rene van der Vlugt (Wageningen University and Research, Netherlands)
- Dr Fiona Constable (Agriculture Victoria Research).
Additionally, two postgraduate students will have an opportunity to present their current research projects related to plant virology.
Event details
- Date: Wednesday, 13 November 2024
- Time: 3.00pm – 5.30pm AEDT
- Format: Microsoft teams
Registrations will close on Friday, 8 November 2024. Registered attendees will receive a Microsoft Teams invitation on Monday, 11 November.
Registrations are now closed
Learn more about the speakers:
Dr Adrian Fox – Lead Plant Virologist, Fera Science Ltd, United Kingdom
Dr Adrian Fox leads the Plant Virology team at Fera Science Ltd, the national reference laboratory for plant health in England and Wales. With over 25 years’ experience in regulatory plant virus diagnostics, he began his career in virus vector identification at Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) in Edinburgh. In 2008, he joined CSL, in York (now Fera Science Ltd) as lead virologist.
In addition to routine diagnostics, his group applies novel diagnostic techniques to enhance plant virus detection and diagnostics, while researching the epidemiology and management of novel and emerging viruses in field vegetables and protected edibles. Dr Fox has authored or co-authored over 100 publications, including research papers, reviews, book chapters, and disease records, and gained his PhD by published works in 2019. He is a member of the International Committee on Plant Virus Epidemiology and the EPPO panel on diagnostics in virology.
Dr Fiona Constable – Research Leader for Microbiology, Agriculture Victoria Research
Dr Fiona Constable leads the microbiology group of Agriculture Victoria Research (AVR), part of the Victorian Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions (DJPR), located at the Centre for AgriBioscience (AgriBio). AgriBio is a premier bioscience facility in Australia that focuses on advancing plant and animal productivity, biosecurity, and environmental sustainability.
Dr Constable has more than 34 years of experience in plant virology and phytoplasmas, including ecology, diagnostics and biosecurity. Her expertise is recognised and highly respected both nationally and internationally.
Prof René van der Vlugt – Special Professor, Laboratory of Virology, Wageningen University and Research, Netherlands
Prof van der Vlugt earned his PhD in plant virology from Wageningen University, with a focus on engineering transgenic resistance to Potato virus Y. After a brief post-doctoral position, he began working as a plant virologist at Wageningen Plant Research, concentrating on virus transmission and virus-vector interactions, particularly with Potato virus Y and aphids/whiteflies.
As a senior plant virologist, Prof van der Vlugt also curated plant virus collections and collaborated internationally through Q-bank, a database supporting diagnostic activities. He lead projects on high-throughput sequencing to characterise plant viruses and conducted epidemiological studies.
In 2024, he was appointed special professor in ecological plant virology at Wageningen University, where he now combines research and teaching on the ecological and epidemiological aspects of plant viruses to advance agricultural virus control.
Not a member?
NPBDN members gain access to:
- free residential programs, training workshops, and laboratory proficiency testing
- contributions to developing National Diagnostic Protocols (NDPs)
- networking and collaboration opportunities at NPBDN events
- funding for travel to NPBDN member-exclusive workshops
- the NPBDN member resource page, providing direct access to diagnostic resources.
Membership is open to active diagnostics professionals working in government, research, industry, institution-based laboratories, or museums.
