CSIRO officially opened the Diagnostic Emergency Response Laboratory (DERL) in 2008, a state-of-the-art high throughput testing laboratory that can process more samples, faster, in the event of an emergency animal disease outbreak.
This laboratory was purpose built to ensure ACDP can fulfill its role as a national facility and its core responsibility to respond to outbreaks of emergency animal diseases, such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).
DERL plays a dual role at ACDP. In 'routine mode', while there is no emergency animal disease outbreak, the laboratory functions as a core diagnostic area and an area for test development and validation.
In the face of an outbreak, the laboratory will become an assembly line for samples and will enable ACDP staff to perform serology tests on up to 10 000 samples per day, with maximum biosecurity.