SVA is a government institute under the Ministry of Agriculture with a total staff of about 400 employees. SVA is financed by state core funding and also by selling laboratory services and vaccines to the public and private sector. The research activities are mainly carried out by more than 70 Ph.D´s and financed, to a large extent, by external sources. Good animal and human health, protection of the environment and a sustainable food production chain is the working area for SVA. The work is done in close collaboration with other public authorities as well as the livestock and feed and food industry. The institute is a national reference laboratory for veterinary medicine and feed additives. SVA is Collaborating Center of OIE (Animal World Health Organisation) in Molecular Diagnostics and is housing the Swedish Zoonoses center. Scientists from SVA coordinate and participate in several collaborative projects within the EU such as the MedVetNet and other research areas. (Rickard Knuttson, Per Häggblom)