Janice D. Pata, Ph.D.

Position
Director, Division of Scientific Cores

Vimi Navjot Singh, Ph.D.

Position
Co-Director, Division of Scientific Cores

The Wadsworth Center maintains extensive scientific core facilities in support of its investigators and their collaborators. These facilities provide expertise and access to specialized equipment and services, advise investigators and help them in using the equipment, and train junior researchers in the latest technologies. Each core is headed by a scientist expert in the core’s particular instrumentation and techniques. Some also provide hands-on training for students and postdocs.

Kirsten St. George, PhD

Position
Director
Phone Number

Meghan Fuschino, MS

Position
Associate Director
Phone Number

Ship To Address

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United States

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David Axelrod Institute
Virology Laboratory
Wadsworth Center
New York State Dept. of Health
120 New Scotland Ave.
Albany, NY 12208

Welcome to the website pages of the NYSDOH Wadsworth Center’s Laboratory of Viral Disease (LVD). In the following pages you will find many interesting and helpful resources. While navigating through them, you can explore Virology news, current test menus and ordering information, as well as recent publications and presentations by LVD staff.  Additionally, there are descriptions of the various laboratory sections within the LVD and contact details should you require more information. Thank you for your interest.

April D. Davis, DVM, PhD

Position
Director
Phone Number

Rabies Laboratory

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Griffin Laboratory, NYS Department of Health
5668 State Farm Road
Slingerlands, NY 12159
United States

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The Rabies Laboratory, located at the Wadsworth Center’s Griffin Laboratory in Guilderland, provides New York State with rabies-related laboratory services. Testing performed by the laboratory includes:

  • Animal specimen testing
  • Human serology testing
  • Ante- and post-mortem testing

Additional studies involve:

Susan Madison-Antenucci, PhD

Position
Director
Phone Number

Parasitology Laboratory

Phone Number

Parasitology Laboratory

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David Axelrod Institute, Wadsworth Center, NYS Department of Health
120 New Scotland Ave.
Albany, NY 12208
United States

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The Wadsworth Center Parasitology Laboratory is the New York State public health reference laboratory for parasitic infections. Laboratory responsibilities include:

  • Clinical diagnosis utilizing various diagnostic methods
  • Development of molecular assays for pathogenic parasite detection

Scientists in the Parasitology Laboratory also pursue research questions while collaborating with colleagues both inside the NYSDOH and with outside universities and private laboratories.

Sudha Chaturvedi, PhD

Position
Director
Phone Number

Mycology Laboratory

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David Axelrod Institute, Wadsworth Center, NYS Department of Health
120 New Scotland Ave.
Albany, NY 12208
United States

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The Mycology Laboratory serves as a comprehensive reference facility for all NYSDOH licensed clinical laboratories including: hospitals, academic medical centers, county health departments and commercial laboratories.

The laboratory houses a fungal culture collection repository, an outstanding resource for assay development, distribution and sale.

Vincent Escuyer, PhD

Position
Director
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Fax Number

Donna Kohlerschmidt

Position
Supervisor
Phone Number
Fax Number

Mycobacteriology Laboratory

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David Axelrod Institute, Wadsworth Center, NYS Department of Health
120 New Scotland Ave.
Albany, NY 12208
United States

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Around the world, tuberculosis is responsible for over one million deaths per year. The recent emergence of multi- and extensively drug resistant strains (MDR and XDR, respectively) represents a threat to public health worldwide, particularly when associated with HIV. 

Bloodborne Viruses Laboratory

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David Axelrod Institute, Wadsworth Center, NYS Department of Health
120 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, NY 12208
United States

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Phone Number
Fax Number

Pediatric HIV Testing

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HIV-2 Nucleic Acid Testing

Phone Number

Linda Styer, PhD

Position
Director
Phone Number

The Bloodborne Viruses Laboratory (BVL) focuses on clinical and public health laboratory activities related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV).  The BVL is involved in a wide range of testing, surveillance, and applied research activities. Laboratory services include:

Kimberlee A. Musser, PhD

Position
Chief of Bacterial Diseases

Lisa Mingle, PhD

Position
Assistant Director, Foodborne and Waterborne Bacterial Diseases
Phone Number

Kara Mitchell, PhD

Position
Assistant Director, Bacteriology Reference and Special Projects
Phone Number

Bacteriology Laboratory

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David Axelrod Institute, Wadsworth Center, NYS Department of Health
120 New Scotland Ave.
Albany, NY 12208
United States

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The Wadsworth Center Bacteriology Laboratory serves as the New York State public health reference laboratory for bacterial identification and research. The laboratory is responsible for the identification of bacterial pathogens of public health significance as well as collaboration with New York State and New York City epidemiologists across multiple areas. The laboratory is involved in a wide range of testing, surveillance, and applied research activities. 

General Laboratory

Phone Number
Fax Number

Alexander Ciota, PhD

Position
Director
Phone Number

Alan Dupuis

Position
Surveillance and Clinical Testing
Phone Number

Arbovirus is a term used to refer to a group of viruses that are transmitted by arthropod vectors. New York is host to a number of endemic mosquito-borne arboviruses which include West Nile virus introduced in 1999, Eastern equine encephalitis virus, Jamestown Canyon virus, La Crosse virus, Trivittatus virus, South River virus, Potosi virus, Cache Valley virus and Highlands J virus. New York is also home to the tick-borne Powassan and Deer Tick viruses.

Complaints can be submitted to any of the following:

Phone Number
Fax Number

Laboratory Investigations Unit

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US Postal Service

Biggs Laboratory
Wadsworth Center
NYS Department of Health
Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12237

UPS, FedEx, Courier

Biggs Laboratory
Wadsworth Center
NYS Department of Health
Dock J - P1 Level
Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12237

 

Complaints NOT reviewed by this office

  • Hospital, diagnostic, ambulatory surgical, dialysis and treatment centers, and primary care clinic issues in New York State are reported to the Department of Health.
  • Billing issues, including consumer health care rights and billing, are reported to the Attorney General's Office Health Care Bureau
  • Insurance issues, including health insurance products