About Us

The origins of APHA Scientific trace back over a century to the establishment of the Veterinary Laboratory Service in the early 1900s, initially based in Whitehall. In 1917, operations moved to a new facility near Weybridge under the name the Addlestone Institute, later becoming the Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL), a site that remains an integral part of APHA today.

Over the decades, the site has undergone extensive expansion to support the agency’s growing research and diagnostic capabilities, solidifying its role as a global leader in disease surveillance.  APHA’s network of laboratories has continuously advanced disease monitoring and response. As well as this site, there are also regional laboratories based throughout Great Britain, playing an important role to achieve APHA’s aims.

From its origins as the Addlestone Institute, the Agency has had several name changes. In 2014, The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) was formed following the merger of the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) and part of the Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) – including the Bee Inspectorate, Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate, Plant Variety and Seeds Group and the GM Inspectorate. The agency expanded its expertise beyond animal health to include wildlife management, plant health, and broader environmental research.

APHA Scientific, the commercial brand of APHA, has also evolved through many forms, including VLA Scientific and AHVLA Scientific, before becoming APHA Scientific in 2014. With its deep-rooted expertise, APHA Scientific continues to provide world-class veterinary, scientific, and diagnostic services to protect animal and plant health worldwide.  

• Global expertise: Trusted worldwide for diseases surveillance and diagnostics
• Scientific Innovation: Backed by decades of research and cutting-edge methods
• Government and Industry collaboration: Working alongside policy makers, researchers and businesses.