Dr. Richard A. French has been named Director of the Ohio Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory.  Dr. French holds DVM, MS and PhD degrees and has over thirty years experience in academia and industry with a concentration on laboratory diagnostics.  He has extensive international experience including China and the U.S. with both universities and commercial organizations. 

He co-founded the Annual Veterinary Diagnostic Conference for China and has consulted for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.  He was an instructor for the USDA APHIS Foreign Animal Diseases Diagnosticians course at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center for ten years and is a registered Emergency Veterinary Medical Officer with the USDA APHIS.

In his new position, Dr. French will advance technology and automation to improve efficiency in the Ohio laboratory.