Dr Anna Ludi
Head of Serology Section, Vesicular Disease Reference Laboratory
Dr Anna Ludi is Deputy Head of the Vesicular Disease Reference Laboratories Group at Pirbright, UK. The group encompasses both the FAO World Reference Laboratory for Foot-and-Mouth Disease (WRLFMD) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Reference Laboratory, supporting global efforts in the diagnosis, surveillance, and control of this high-consequence transboundary disease.
Dr Ludi’s expertise lies in post-vaccination monitoring, including virus neutralisation testing, vaccine matching through the generation of r₁-values, and ELISA validation. Much of this work is conducted under stringent quality standards, with the majority of assays accredited to UKAS ISO/IEC 17025. She also oversees the delivery of the annual global proficiency testing scheme for foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), providing virology and serology panels to laboratories worldwide to ensure consistency and reliability in diagnostic capability.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from the Rochester Institute of Technology (USA), a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University (USA), and a PhD from the University of Cambridge (UK).
Her research interests focus on the antigenic variability of FMDV and the evaluation of vaccine quality, contributing to improved vaccine selection and effectiveness in disease control programmes worldwide.
