Janice Ciacci-Zanella

Janice Reis Ciacci Zanella is a veterinarian graduated by the Veterinary School of the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, Master of Sciences and Ph.D. in Molecular Virology at the University of Nebraska, USA.

Currently, she is an EMBRAPA (Brazilian Agriculture Research Corporation) researcher in the area of Animal Virology as well as the Director General of Embrapa´s Swine and Poultry Research Center (ESPRC), holding already a second term in that position. She was a visiting scientist at the USDA NADC laboratory in Ames, Iowa, USA, within the agreement of ARS/EMBRAPA LABEX. She represents Brazil in the FAO - OIE - WHO committee to coordinate global surveillance of influenza in swine (OFFLU) since 2011, and has been elected Co-Chair of the committee. Coordinates research projects in swine and avian viruses, such as PRV, PCV2 (held the first diagnosis of SIV and PCV2 in Brazil), SVA, PRRSV, ALV, FLUAV and in emerging zoonotic diseases, such as influenza and recently in SARS-CoV-2. She is the coordinator of the ESPRC COVID-19 Diagnostic Laboratory in support of the Brazilian Health Ministry.

In addition to science, managerial expertise, she has international experience, having served as interim coordinator of LABEX at the NADC/ARS/USDA and many international missions required by EMBRAPA’s Presidency, such as to the People's Republic of China (CAAS). Coordinated the Eradication of Aujeszky's disease in SC, Brazil. For 5 years, she was the chair of the Steering Committee of the Portfolio of Projects for Animal Health at EMBRAPA that determined research lines for the 43 EMBRAPA research centers. She was the International Articulator at ESPRC for three mandates to promote articulation with research centers in the world. She is the representative of the Directors of the South Region in the board of managers of EMBRAPA. Also, advises under- and graduate students of Brazilian, Argentine and Colombian Universities. She participates in the Agriculture Ministry Technical Committee on Swine Health Programs and participated at OIE Ad Hoc committees such as CSF and ASF. She has a total of 25 awards and titles, among those 4 international awards. She serves as Peer reviewer of 10 journals.