The Laboratory Response Network (LRN), established by the CDC in 1999, is a network of laboratories throughout the United States and internationally who have the capability to detect biologic and chemical terrorism agents, emerging infectious diseases, and other public health emergencies. The LRN includes the following types of laboratories: federal, state and local public health, military, food testing, environmental, veterinary, and international.

The LRN is made up of sentinel, reference, and national laboratories, each with a specific role. The sentinel laboratories collect, handle, and process specimens for biologic and chemical terrorism analyses; report their findings to the appropriate agency; and refer specimens to the appropriate laboratory for analysis. The reference laboratories perform tests to detect and confirm the presence of a threat. The national laboratories handle infectious agents and can identify specific agent strains.