The Istituto G. Caporale carries out research activities, experimentation, training and delivery of technologically advanced services. Its traditional clients are the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Policies, the National Institute of Health (ISS), the Abruzzo and Molise Regions and the Local Health Authorities, and also livestock rearers, producers of foods of animal origin, producers of goods and services for livestock rearing and consumers.

The principal tasks of the Institute, as defined by the legislation, are experimental research into the aetiology and pathogenesis of infectious and contagious diseases of domestic and wild animals; hygiene in animal rearing and livestock production; tests for laboratory diagnosis of animal diseases and for microbiological and chemical safety of foods of animal origin destined for human consumption and in livestock feeds; epidemiological surveillance in the field of animal health and of hygiene in the production of livestock and foods of animal origin; production of vaccines, reagents and immunological products for the prophylaxis and diagnosis of animal diseases; consultancy, technical assistance and health information for livestock rearers for the purpose of upgrading health standards and developing and improving hygiene in livestock production; and training and refresher courses for vets and other operators in veterinary public health.

All the Institute's activities, including its institutional activities, are aimed at continual innovation which takes the experimental method as its basis.