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About APHL Publications

APHL supports and amplifies the work of public health laboratories by telling their stories, providing guidance and keeping our community up to speed with the latest news and information.

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Amplifying the Work

Telling the Stories of Public Health Laboratories

APHL Annual Report

Explore highlights of our activities and achievements during the previous calendar year.

Read our 2024 Annual Report 

Lab Matters Magazine

Lab Matters is APHL's quarterly magazine and flagship publication. We publish both technical and non-technical articles covering topics across public health laboratory science, administration, careers and management. Print versions are sent to members, and all articles are available digitally.

Explore our latest articles:

Lab Matters article
Spring 2026
National Institute of Health Launches Biosafety Modernization Initiative
In September 2025, the NIH launched the Biosafety Modernization Initiative, an effort to modernize biosafety policies and practices. APHL Biosafety and Biosecurity Committee members share perspectives on how the initiative affects public health labs.
General, Biosafety and Biosecurity, Emergency Preparedness and Response
Lab Matters article
Spring 2026
Public Health Laboratory Ambassadors Engage Students Across the Country in 2025
The APHL Public Health Laboratory Ambassadors Program has sought to connect public health laboratory professionals with students and local community members to share the value of public health laboratory careers.
General, APHL, Career Development, Outreach, Workforce Development
Lab Matters article
Spring 2026
Vermont Laboratory Discovers What a Difference a Fellow Can Make
The Vermont Department of Health Public Health Laboratory hosted its first Career Pathways in Public Health Laboratory Science fellow and things went better than they could have hoped.
APHL, Fellowships, Career Development
Lab Matters article
Spring 2026
When Systems Fail: Building Resilient Laboratory Informatics Through Comprehensive COOP Planning
As public health laboratories become increasingly dependent on digital infrastructure, comprehensive COOP planning has evolved from a recommended practice to an essential requirement for maintaining critical public health services when systems fail.
Public Health Preparedness and Response, Quality and Safety Systems, Laboratory Operations and Systems, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Data Management
Lab Matters article
Spring 2026
Rapid Detection and Sequencing of Influenza A in Agricultural Samples: Lessons From Cambodia and Why It Matters for US Food Security
While zoonotic transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A virus to humans in the US has been limited, recent epidemiological trends in Cambodia underscore how quickly zoonotic risks can escalate.
APHL, Genomics and Sequencing, Foodborne Disease, Viruses
Lab Matters article
Spring 2026
President's Message: Reflections on a Milestone
A message from APHL President Scott Shone on how far APHL has come in 75 years.
General
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Lab Culture News and Podcast

We report on the latest news and topics driving public health laboratories, highlight the work of our member laboratories and amplify their voices. You can read written articles or listen to our podcast!

Explore the latest news:

New
Lab Culture News article
04.07.26
Public Health Laboratory Work May Be Invisible—but It’s Also Indispensable: Perspective From a Public Health Laboratory Professional
Some of the most important returns in public health are written in the things that never got worse. It is important to communicate that to the public.
General, Advocacy
New
Lab Culture News article
03.30.26
How One State’s Public Health Laboratory Is Using Biomonitoring to Protect Kids
Due to their small stature, developing systems and normal play behaviors, young children are particularly vulnerable to the health hazards caused by the heavy metals and toxic chemicals found in some consumer products and the environment.
Environmental Health, Environmental Exposures, Environmental Monitoring
New
Lab Culture News article
03.24.26
World Tuberculosis Day Is March 24: 6 Questions for a 20-Year Veteran of TB Testing
In recognition of World Tuberculosis Day, we sat down with Kimberlee Musser, PhD, chief of bacterial disease, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health (NYDOH), and asked her six questions about tackling this ancient disease in a modern world.
Infectious Diseases, Tuberculosis
New
Lab Culture News article
03.19.26
How Public Health Laboratories and Federal Partners Uncovered a Multistate Outbreak of Dangerous Salmonella Infections
Between November 2025 and January 2026, seven people in seven states (as of this writing) became ill with an extensively drug-resistant strain of Salmonella Newport. All the illnesses were traced to certain lots of Rosabella-brand moringa powder.
Food Safety, General, Food Testing, Foodborne Disease, Genomics and Sequencing, Antimicrobial Resistance
New
Lab Culture News article
03.17.26
In 2023, a Growing—and Deadly—Outbreak of Listeria Was Reported in Washington State. How PulseNet Helped Lead Investigators to the Cause
In the first few months of 2023, six people in Washington State were sickened with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono), which can be found in food, water, soil and animals. Three people ultimately died from infection with the bacteria,
Food Safety, General, Food Testing, Foodborne Disease, Genomics and Sequencing
Lab Culture News article
02.18.26
APHL Is 75! We Take a Look Back—and Forward—With the Organization’s Longest-Tenured Employee
APHL is turning 75, and Carol Clark, the organization’s chief operating officer, has been with the organization for 29 of those years—years when APHL’s mission and membership have grown by leaps and bounds.
General, APHL
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Our Technical Resources

Technical Publications

APHL produces a host of technical publications to inform or guide laboratory work, including reports, guidance, survey data, fact sheets and toolkits.

Read our latest publications:

Featured
Tool / Work Aid
2025
Public Health Laboratory Workforce Retention Scorecard
Laboratory leaders can use this scorecard to periodically assess employee retention practices to improve workforce retention strategies and reduce turnover.
Quality Systems and Analytics, Training and Professional Development, Workforce Development
Featured
Guide / Guidance
2025
Centralized Public Health Data Exchanges: A Toolkit for Platform Designers, Technologists and Public Health Decision Makers
A guide for laboratories around the world to design a road map for establishing a data exchange platform that meets your circumstances and needs.
Global Health, Informatics
Featured
Tool / Work Aid
2025
Laboratory Biosecurity Risk Assessment Tool: A Guide for Public Health and Clinical Diagnostic Laboratories
Evaluate potential biosecurity threats and vulnerabilities in public health and clinical laboratories related to biological materials, equipment, personnel and operations.
Public Health Preparedness and Response
Featured
Fact Sheet
01.06.24
Test Resource (all fields)
This is a test resource for displaying widgets.
Environmental Health, Biosafety and Biosecurity
Featured
Fact Sheet
01.06.24
Test Resource (all fields) Member Developed
This is a test resource for displaying widgets.
Environmental Health, Biosafety and Biosecurity
Featured
Toolkit
2024
Related Processes (Laboratory Test Verification and Validation Toolkit)
This section of the Laboratory Test Verification & Validation Toolkit provides information on sample stability/integrity, bridging studies, instrumentation, reagents and software related to verification and validation.
Quality Systems and Analytics, Infectious Diseases, Quality and Safety Systems
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Peer-reviewed Articles

Explore our papers and articles that have been published in peer reviewed journals.

View our peer-reviewed articles

Member-developed Resource Center

Covering a wide array of laboratory topics and services practiced in the field, the Member-developed Resource Center (MRC) allows you to access institutional knowledge from across the APHL community—and submit your own resources—to help you lead, strengthen and advance your public health laboratory operations and management

The MRC includes all "member-developed" resources, such as APHL technical publications that our committee members helped author or resources produced by Emerging Leader Program cohorts.

Visit the MRC

Newsletters

Want to stay up to date with industry news and developing stories? We produce both general and topical newsletters, published at varying intervals. Explore our list of newsletters and standing calls, read the latest issues and subscribe.

Visit the Newsletter Hub