About Our Focus Areas

We strengthen the capability and capacity of environmental health laboratories to identify hazardous contaminants in people and the environment, respond to environmental threats and inform public health practice and policy.

We advance food safety by increasing the capabilities of food testing laboratories, improving the competence of scientists and ensuring the credibility of results for public health action.

We work around the world to build strong and resilient national laboratory systems, promote the laboratory’s vital role in shaping public health outcomes and advance practices that support global health security. 

We build public health laboratory capability to detect, identify and respond to new and re-emerging infectious disease threats to help limit their spread and keep us healthy.

We work across the public health network to identify informatics needs and develop solutions for the electronic transmission of laboratory data, facilitating a more connected, prepared and robust public health system.

We drive newborn screening systems to excellence by shaping policy, promoting data-driven improvements and pursuing innovations in public health laboratory practice so all babies can have a healthier start.

We help public health laboratories stay ready to act—safely, quickly and effectively—when emergencies arise. By strengthening both systems and people, we build the resilience communities need to respond to and recover from public health challenges.

We help public health laboratories use data and quality practices to inform decisions, guide continuous improvement of laboratory services and systems, and foster partnerships, collaborations and knowledge sharing.

We safeguard public health through advocacy for public health laboratories and federal partners, and provide expert testimony, guidance and comments on federal legislation and regulations.

We support the professional growth and development of the public health laboratory workforce by providing skills-based training and educational opportunities, programs that help laboratory staff advance their careers and resources to assist with the recruitment and retention of qualified staff.