The Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) was founded by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 1985 and operates as a Government diagnostic center that fulfils the following important roles throughout the United Arab Emirates and neighbouring countries:
  1. To co-operate directly with national and international veterinary services.
  2. To aid in the diagnosis, prevention, control and eradication of infectious and non-infectious animal diseases by:

H.H. Sheikh Mohammed
Bin Rashid Al Maktoum - Founder of CVRL
  • Providing diagnostic testing for various animal species (camels, horses, falcons, cattle, small ruminants, avian, fish, bees, zoo and pet animals) to veterinarians and animal owners.
  • Performing pre-import testing to prevent the introduction of exotic animal diseases.
  • Providing pre-export testing for horses.
  • Providing diagnostic surveillance facilities.
  1. To provide training, to do research, to develop and adopt new diagnostic techniques and new vaccines.
  2. To publish scientific papers and establish scientific links with national and international laboratories, universities and organizations as well as to exercise quality control.
  3. To organize national and international conferences on animal diseases (such as the Eighth International Equine Infectious Diseases Conference held in Dubai in 1998 and the International Conference of Racing Analysts and Veterinarians (ICRAV) held in Dubai in 2004).
OIE Reference Laboratory for Glanders and Camelpox
On 10th of June 2009 the OIE International Committee confirmed the designation of the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory as new OIE Reference Laboratory for Glanders and Camelpox, with Prof. Ulrich Wernery as the designated OIE Reference Expert.
CVRL recruits highly qualified scientists world-wide and has specialists in Haematology, Biochemistry, Virology, Bacteriology, Parasitology, Pathology, Histopathology, Analytical Chemistry (Atomic Absorption, High Performance Liquid Chromatography and ICP), Forensic Chemistry and Molecular Biology. The current scope of analysis of CVRL’s Molecular Biology Section includes:
  • DNA paternity testing for horses and camels.
  • Pathogen diagnosis using DNA technology (e.g., Strangles, Contagious Equine Metritis, Camelpox, Avian Adenovirus, Chlamydophila, West Nile Virus, Mycoplasma, Mycobacteriosis)
  • Bird sexing to assist breeders.
  • Analysis of genetic disorders in equines.
CVRL has also made innovative scientific discoveries which have improved camel and falcon welfare. The following vaccines have been developed:
  • A camelpox vaccine called Ducapox that is commercially produced in South Africa.
  • A vaccine against Newcastle disease in falcons.
  • A falconpox and houbarapox vaccine.
  • A falcon herpes virus vaccine.

CVRL developed a pox vaccine for falcons.
CVRL was further involved in the production of a Clostridium perfringens enterotoxaemia vaccine for camels and falcons and a Salmonella typhimurium vaccine for falcons, and it assisted in the development of a Trichophytosis live vaccine for camels.

In 1997, the European Union formally recognised the status of CVRL by approving it to conduct pre-export tests for horses. This means meticulous blood testing of all horses entering and leaving the United Arab Emirates and all Gulf States to ensure freedom from notifiable diseases such as African Horse Sickness, Equine Infectious Anaemia, Glanders and Dourine.

Dubai Millennium


Since the founding of CVRL in 1985, the scientists of this institute have published 3 books and more than 250 scientific papers in various scientific journals throughout the world.

As Dubai has undergone an impressive change over the past fifteen years, so too has the institute by expanding considerably from its original scope and size. New facilities are constantly introduced and plans for further extensions will take CVRL into an even more successful future.
CVRL Annual Report:
23rd Annual Report - 2009