Celebration of international year of plant health and an introduction of the first EU reference laboratories on the National institute of Biology

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This year NIB is celebrating 60 years of work and research. In the frame of celebration, there will be many events during year 2020. On Tuesday, the 18th of February, in the National Council hall, we will celebrate International year of plant health 2020 and our naming into two European reference laboratories in the field of bacteriology and viruses, viroids and phytoplasmas. The event is organized together with Slovenian National Assembly and Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection. Besides Slovene officials, we will host international experts from EU. Over 15 leaders of diagnostics laboratories, who represent their countries in European plant protection organisation, will join us to celebrate.

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Program:

Welcome addresses:
•    Dejan Židan, M. Sc., president of National Assembly
•    Prof. Tamara Lah Turnšek, Ph.D., counsellor to the Director of National Institute of Biology
•    Aleksandra Pivec, Ph.D., minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food
•    Janez Posedi, Ph.D., director of Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection

Introduction to the topic by Maja Ravnikar, Prof. Ph.D., Head of Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology at the National Institute of Biology, who will lead discussion with:  

•    Zoran Stančič, Ph.D., Head of the European Commission Representation in Slovenia
•    Françiose Munaut, Ph.D., high official representative of the European Commission
•    Franciose Petter, Assistant Director of the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization
•    Nataša Mehle, Ph.D., Head of the Diagnostics Laboratory for Phytoplasma, Viruses and Viroids in the framework of NIB
•    Tanja Dreo, Ph.D., Head of the Diagnostics Laboratory for Bacteriology in the framework of NIB

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