Swiss National Center for Retroviruses (SNCR)

The SNCR, since 2008 a part of the University of Zurich's Institute of Medical Virology (IMV), has been commissioned in 1985 by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (SFOPH) to serve as the national reference laboratory for HIV (human im-munodeficiency viruses) and other retroviruses that may endanger human health.

The SNCR works in all diagnostic fields relating to HIV, HTLV and other retroviruses with a possible significance to human health. The lab is active in diagnostic research and the development of tests for these viruses.

The SNCR is an integral part of the IMV's Diagnostics & Test Development division. The Division's diagnostic accreditation by the Swiss Accreditation Service SAS according to the ISO/IEC 17025 norm (accreditation # STS 263) also includes the SNCR.