Marco Caporale
Head
Marco Caporale is a veterinarian with a PhD in Epidemiology and Zoonoses Control, and a specialisation in Infectious Diseases, Prevention and Veterinary Public Health. He has over two decades of experience in the research, development, and production of vaccines and diagnostic tools for animal health. He currently serves as Head of the Bacterial Vaccine and Diagnostic Reagents Production Unit at the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise (IZSAM), combining scientific and managerial expertise to advance veterinary public health.
Marco Caporale is a veterinarian with a PhD in Epidemiology and Zoonoses Control, and a specialisation in Infectious Diseases, Prevention and Veterinary Public Health. He has over two decades of experience in the research, development, and production of vaccines and diagnostic tools for animal health. He currently serves as Head of the Bacterial Vaccine and Diagnostic Reagents Production Unit at the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise (IZSAM), combining scientific and managerial expertise to advance veterinary public health.
He graduated with honours in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Teramo in 2000, obtained a PhD in Epidemiology and Zoonoses Control from the University of Bologna in 2004, and completed a specialisation in Infectious Diseases at the University of Bari in 2012. He has carried out research at prestigious institutions including the University of Zurich, the University of Georgia, the Medical Research Council in Glasgow, and Public Health England in Porton Down.
From 2006 to 2016, he worked as a Research Associate at the Centre for Virus Research at the University of Glasgow, developing advanced skills in viral molecular biology, experimental vaccine development, and viral antigen production. He then joined Public Health England as Senior Virologist, where he managed the National Collection of Pathogenic Viruses, gaining extensive experience in the operation of BSL-2 and BSL-3 laboratories and the large-scale production of diagnostic materials.
Since 2017, he has worked as a Veterinary Officer at IZSAM, focusing on the production of vaccines, reagents, and culture media, as well as on the study of exotic diseases. In 2024, he was appointed Head of the Bacterial Vaccine and Diagnostic Reagents Production Unit, overseeing the production of over 70 diagnostic tools and 300 types of culture media. Key products include bovine PPD tuberculin for bovine tuberculosis testing, Brucella antigen for Rose Bengal rapid slide agglutination, and custom-made autogenous and stable vaccines tailored to specific epidemiological needs. The unit operates under strict GMP and ISO standards, ensuring high levels of quality and safety.
He also manages the Biobank of Strains and Cell Lines, which preserves viruses, bacteria, parasites, and cell lines for research, diagnostics, and vaccine development, with high standards of quality and traceability.
He has led and contributed to projects funded by major institutions such as the Wellcome Trust and the Horserace Betting Levy Board, supporting the development of chimeric vaccines for African horse sickness, the characterisation of Orbivirus pathogenicity determinants, and the study of innate immune responses in ruminants infected with Schmallenberg virus.
He has published over 27 scientific papers in international journals and serves on the Editorial Board of One Health, as well as Section Editor for Veterinaria Italiana.
With a career dedicated to research, production, and innovation, Marco Caporale continues to contribute to the advancement of animal health and food safety, strengthening the role of IZSAM both nationally and internationally.
