Natale Alda
 |
Role | Director |
| Structure | SCS4 – Diseases under Surveillance and Specialist Diagnostics | |
| Phone | +39 049 8084435 | |
| anatale@izsvenezie.it |
Professional profile
Alda Natale is the Director of the SCS4 – Diseases under Surveillance and Specialist Diagnostics Unit at the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe).
She graduated in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Bologna in 1995, where she went on to complete a postgraduate course in Health Surveillance of Animal Populations (Bologna, 1996) and a specialization in Animal Health, Animal Husbandry, and Livestock Production (Bologna, 1999). She holds a PhD in Public Health from the University of Padua (2003).
From 1996 to 2000, she worked as a self-employed small animal veterinarian at a 24/7 private veterinary hospital, serving as the lead for the internal diagnostic laboratory. From 2001 to 2004, she worked in the Parasitology Laboratory at IZSVe, focusing on general parasitology, mycology, and entomological surveillance of vector-borne diseases (leishmaniasis, bluetongue, and West Nile virus). In December 2004, she joined the Serology and Planned Diseases Laboratory as an official, subsequently becoming its head in 2019. From 2017 to 2026, she served as Director of the IZSVe SCT3 – Padua, Vicenza, and Rovigo peripheral structure.
Her research interests focus on the serological diagnosis of infectious diseases in mammals, with particular emphasis on the epidemiology and surveillance of zoonotic diseases (such as Q fever, leptospirosis, chlamydiosis, leishmaniasis, and toxoplasmosis), overseeing full diagnostic procedures for several of these conditions. Long passionate about animal behaviour, in 2014 she qualified as a Feline Relationship Consultant referee and is registered with the SIUA professional board. In 2018, she completed a Level II Master’s Degree in Canine and Feline Behavioural Medicine using a cognitive zooanthropological approach.
She has served as principal investigator and operational unit head for numerous research projects funded by the Italian Ministry of Health.