PAŃSTWOWY INSTYTUT WETERYNARYJNY - PAŃSTWOWY INSTYTUT BADAWCZY (PIWet-PIB) - Puławy, Poland

National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI)

The National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) was established in 1945 as a scientific unit of the Ministry of Agriculture. According to the Government Order of 21 October 2003, the NVRI obtained the Status of the State Research Institute which is obtained for institutes which perform tasks of particular importance for the planning and implementation of state policy, including the actions necessary to ensure public safety, defense and national security.

The major mission of the Institute is applied research in veterinary medicine with particular emphasis on the diagnosis and control of animal infectious diseases including zoonoses as well as the hygiene & toxicology of food of animal origin and feeding stuffs. Additionally, the Institute evaluates the quality of biologicals and diagnostic kits, provides the expertise and consultancy services for the ministry of agriculture and rural development and for veterinary inspection.

The Institute acts as the National Reference Laboratory for infectious diseases of animals, zoonoses and prohibited substances in food of animal origin and undesirable substances in feeds. Currently there are 137 different reference activities in the Institute, performer according to the Regulation (EC) 882/2004. Additionally, NVRI hosts 3 World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) reference laboratories for classical swine fever, porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome and enzootic bovine leukosis.

18 departments of NVRI involved in official testing are accredited in accordance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 and the total number of accredited methods is 242.

Besides research studies NVRI provides advisory and laboratory diagnostic services for practitioners and farmers. The budget of NVRI is composed of a subsidy from the ministry of science and higher education for statutory activities and a subsidy from the ministry of agriculture and rural development which covers reference activities and multi-annual monitoring program. Total budget of the Institute is about 16 million Euro. One fourth of research budget comes from the diagnostic services.

The main mission of the NVRI connected with its role in the animal health control and consumer protection. Fulfilling of this mission requires highly educated scientific and technical staff trained in modern and innovative techniques. Such an approach allows the quick response to the consumer demands and expectations related to the quality of food. NVRI is one of the crucial elements in the decision making process with respect to animal health and food safety control at the national level, therefore the high level of diagnostic and expertise capacity will allow the appropriate approach to demands and expectations from the national competent authority and stakeholders. Therefore, the profile of NVRI fully meets the main task of VET-TWIN which is to strengthen its capacity to perform research and expertise in animal infectious diseases, zoonoses and food chain safety.


This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 692131.