<PAGE>   1

   As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 12, 1995

                                                Registration No. 33-
==============================================================================
                       
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                             ______________________
                                    
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                             ______________________
                               
                               QUIDEL CORPORATION
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

                              10165 MCKELLAR COURT
                          SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92121
                    (Address of principal executive offices)


                 DELAWARE                          94-2573850 
         (State or other jurisdiction of        (I.R.S. Employer 
         incorporation or organization)        Identification No.)

                       1983 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)
                             _____________________

                               STEVEN T. FRANKEL
                                 PRESIDENT AND
                            CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                              10165 MCKEILAR COURT
                          SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92121
                                (619)  552-1100
                     (Name, address, and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)
                             ______________________
                        
                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
======================================================================================================    
                                                   
                                                   PROPOSED          PROPOSED
                                                   MAXIMUM           MAXIMUM
     TITLE OF                AMOUNT                OFFERING          AGGREGATE             AMOUNT OF
    SECURITIES                TO BE                PRICE PER         OFFERING            REGISTRATION
 TO BE REGISTERED          REGISTERED(1)           SHARE(2)          PRICE(2)                 FEE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                       <C>                       <C>              <C>                    <C>
COMMON STOCK, $.001
PAR VALUE                 100,000 SHARES            $5.50            $550,000               $189.66
======================================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1)      There is also being registered hereunder such additional undetermined 
         number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued from time to time 
         as a result of the anti-dilution provisions of the Plan.

(2)      Estimated solely for purposes of determining the registration fee 
         pursuant to Rule 457(h) and based on the average of the high and low 
         prices of the Common Stock of Quidel Corporation as reported on
         September 6, 1995 on The Nasdaq National Market.


<PAGE>   2
                                  INTRODUCTION

                 This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is filed by Quidel
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company") relating to an additional
100,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock, $.001 par value, issuable under
the Company's 1983 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, and consists of only those
items required by General Instruction E to Form S-8.

                                    PART II

            INCORPORATION OF PREVIOUSLY FILED REGISTRATION STATEMENT

                 The contents of the Registration Statement on Form S-8,
Registration No. 33-33562, previously filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on February 16, 1990 by the Company under the name Monoclonal
Antibodies, Inc., are incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.


Exhibit No.      Description
-----------      -----------

     4.1         Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended
                 (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 of the Company's
                 Current Report on Form 8-K dated February 26, 1991)

     4.2         Certificate of Designations of the Series B Preferred Stock of
                 the Company (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.1 of the
                 Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated January 5, 1995)

     4.3         Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (incorporated by
                 reference from Exhibit 3.2 of the Company's Current Report on
                 Form 8-K dated June 16, 1995)

     5           Opinion of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher as to the legality of the
                 securities being registered

    23.1         Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors

    23.2         Consent of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher (contained in Exhibit 5
                 hereto)

    24           Power of Attorney (contained on signature page hereof)

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

                 Pursuant to General Instruction E to Form S-8, the following
additional undertakings are included in this Registration Statement as
information required in the new registration statement that is not in the
earlier registration statement:


<PAGE>   3
                 (a)      The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

                          (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or
sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration
statement:

                                  (i)  To include any prospectus required by
Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended;

                                  (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts
or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or
the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the
registration statement;

                                  (iii)  To include any material information
with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
registration statement or any material change to such information in the
registration statement; 

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply 
if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by 
those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to
the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the
registration statement.

                          (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any
liability under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, each such post-
effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating
to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                          (3)  To remove from registration by means of a
post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain
unsold at the termination of the offering.

                 (b)      Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be permitted to directors,
officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing
provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion
of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against
public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the
event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the
payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer
or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any
action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or
controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the
registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been
settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction
the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as
expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
issue.


<PAGE>   4
                                   SIGNATURES

                 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
the Company certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of San Diego, State of California, on September 6,
1995.

                                        QUIDEL CORPORATION

                                        By:  /s/  STEVEN T. FRANKEL
                                            --------------------------------- 
                                             Steven T. Frankel 
                                             President and
                                             Chief Executive Officer


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                 Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and
appoints STEVEN T. FRANKEL and STEVEN C. BURKE his or her true and lawful
attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, with full powers of
substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place
and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement and to file the same,
with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact
and agents, each acting alone, with full powers and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about
the premises, as full to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could
do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming that all said attorneys-in-fact
and agents, each acting alone, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

                 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated as of September 6, 1995.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

              NAME                                       TITLE
              ----                                       -----
<S>                                        <C>
      
 /s/  RICHARD C.E. MORGAN                        Chairman of the Board
-----------------------------------
      Richard C.E. Morgan                     


 /s/  STEVEN T. FRANKEL                   President and Chief Executive Officer
-----------------------------------           (Principal Executive Officer)
      Steven T. Frankel                             and Director
                                                

 /s/  STEVEN C. BURKE                  Vice President-Finance and Administration
-----------------------------------   (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
      Steven C. Burke                     
                                           

 /s/  JOHN D. DIEKMAN, Ph.D                           Director
-----------------------------------
      John D. Diekman, Ph.D.                              
</TABLE>



<PAGE>   5
<TABLE>

<S>                                         <C>
 /s/  THOMAS A. GLAZE                                       Director
-----------------------------------                                  
      Thomas A. Glaze

 /s/  MARY LAKE POLAN, M.D., PH.D.                          Director
-----------------------------------                               
  Mary Lake Polan, M.D., Ph.D.

                               
                                                            Director
-----------------------------------                                   
      Faye Wattleton

                               
 /s/  ROGER F. GREAVES                                      Director
-----------------------------------                                    
      Roger F. Greaves


 /s/  ROCKELL N. HANKIN                                     Director
-----------------------------------                                   
      Rockell N. Hankin
</TABLE>


<PAGE>   6
                               INDEX TO EXHIBITS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         Exhibit No.                                  Description
         -----------                                  -----------
            <S>             <C>
             4.1             Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended
                             (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 of the Company's
                             Current Report on Form 8-K dated February 26, 1991)
             
             4.2             Certificate of Designations of the Series B Preferred Stock of
                             the Company (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.1 of the
                             Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated January 5, 1995)
             
             4.3             Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (incorporated by
                             reference from Exhibit 3.2 of the Company's Current Report on
                             Form 8-K dated June 16, 1995)
              
             5               Opinion of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher as to the legality of the
                             securities being registered
             
            23.1             Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors
             
            23.2             Consent of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher (contained in Exhibit 5
                             hereto)
              
            24               Power of Attorney (contained on signature page hereof)
</TABLE>
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "QUIDEL CORPORATION", "secsgml_size_bytes": 14539}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "QUIDEL CORP /DE/", "cik": "0000353569", "assigned-sic": "2835", "irs-number": "942573850", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0331"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "033-62577", "film-number": "95573232"}, "business-address": {"street1": "10165 MCKELLAR CT", "city": "SAN DIEGO", "state": "CA", "zip": "92121", "phone": "6195521100"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES INC /DE/", "date-changed": "19910210"}}
1

   As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 12, 1995

                                                Registration No. 33-
==============================================================================
                       
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                             ______________________
                                    
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                             ______________________
                               
                               QUIDEL CORPORATION
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

                              10165 MCKELLAR COURT
                          SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92121
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

                 DELAWARE                          94-2573850 
         (State or other jurisdiction of        (I.R.S. Employer 
         incorporation or organization)        Identification No.)

                       1983 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)
                             _____________________

                               STEVEN T. FRANKEL
                                 PRESIDENT AND
                            CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                              10165 MCKEILAR COURT
                          SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92121
                                (619)  552-1100
                     (Name, address, and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)
                             ______________________
                        
                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
======================================================================================================    
                                                   
                                                   PROPOSED          PROPOSED
                                                   MAXIMUM           MAXIMUM
     TITLE OF                AMOUNT                OFFERING          AGGREGATE             AMOUNT OF
    SECURITIES                TO BE                PRICE PER         OFFERING            REGISTRATION
 TO BE REGISTERED          REGISTERED(1)           SHARE(2)          PRICE(2)                 FEE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMON STOCK, $.001
PAR VALUE                 100,000 SHARES            $5.50            $550,000               $189.66
======================================================================================================
(1)      There is also being registered hereunder such additional undetermined 
         number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued from time to time 
         as a result of the anti-dilution provisions of the Plan.

(2)      Estimated solely for purposes of determining the registration fee 
         pursuant to Rule 457(h) and based on the average of the high and low 
         prices of the Common Stock of Quidel Corporation as reported on
         September 6, 1995 on The Nasdaq National Market.
2
                                  INTRODUCTION

                 This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is filed by Quidel
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company") relating to an additional
100,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock, $.001 par value, issuable under
the Company's 1983 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, and consists of only those
items required by General Instruction E to Form S-8.

                                    PART II

            INCORPORATION OF PREVIOUSLY FILED REGISTRATION STATEMENT

                 The contents of the Registration Statement on Form S-8,
Registration No. 33-33562, previously filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on February 16, 1990 by the Company under the name Monoclonal
Antibodies, Inc., are incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

Exhibit No.      Description
-----------      -----------

     4.1         Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended
                 (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 of the Company's
                 Current Report on Form 8-K dated February 26, 1991)

     4.2         Certificate of Designations of the Series B Preferred Stock of
                 the Company (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.1 of the
                 Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated January 5, 1995)

     4.3         Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (incorporated by
                 reference from Exhibit 3.2 of the Company's Current Report on
                 Form 8-K dated June 16, 1995)

     5           Opinion of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher as to the legality of the
                 securities being registered

    23.1         Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors

    23.2         Consent of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher (contained in Exhibit 5
                 hereto)

    24           Power of Attorney (contained on signature page hereof)

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

                 Pursuant to General Instruction E to Form S-8, the following
additional undertakings are included in this Registration Statement as
information required in the new registration statement that is not in the
earlier registration statement:
3
                 (a)      The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

                          (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or
sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration
statement:

                                  (i)  To include any prospectus required by
Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended;

                                  (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts
or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or
the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the
registration statement;

                                  (iii)  To include any material information
with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the
registration statement or any material change to such information in the
registration statement; 

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply 
if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by 
those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to
the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the
registration statement.

                          (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any
liability under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, each such post-
effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating
to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                          (3)  To remove from registration by means of a
post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain
unsold at the termination of the offering.

                 (b)      Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be permitted to directors,
officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing
provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion
of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against
public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the
event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the
payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer
or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any
action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or
controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the
registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been
settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction
the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as
expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
issue.
4
                                   SIGNATURES

                 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
the Company certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of San Diego, State of California, on September 6,
1995.

                                        QUIDEL CORPORATION

                                        By:  /s/  STEVEN T. FRANKEL
                                            --------------------------------- 
                                             Steven T. Frankel 
                                             President and
                                             Chief Executive Officer

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                 Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and
appoints STEVEN T. FRANKEL and STEVEN C. BURKE his or her true and lawful
attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, with full powers of
substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place
and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement and to file the same,
with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact
and agents, each acting alone, with full powers and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about
the premises, as full to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could
do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming that all said attorneys-in-fact
and agents, each acting alone, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

                 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated as of September 6, 1995.
NAME                                       TITLE
              ----                                       -----
/s/  RICHARD C.E. MORGAN                        Chairman of the Board
-----------------------------------
      Richard C.E. Morgan                     

 /s/  STEVEN T. FRANKEL                   President and Chief Executive Officer
-----------------------------------           (Principal Executive Officer)
      Steven T. Frankel                             and Director
                                                

 /s/  STEVEN C. BURKE                  Vice President-Finance and Administration
-----------------------------------   (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
      Steven C. Burke                     
                                           

 /s/  JOHN D. DIEKMAN, Ph.D                           Director
-----------------------------------
      John D. Diekman, Ph.D.
5
/s/  THOMAS A. GLAZE                                       Director
-----------------------------------                                  
      Thomas A. Glaze

 /s/  MARY LAKE POLAN, M.D., PH.D.                          Director
-----------------------------------                               
  Mary Lake Polan, M.D., Ph.D.

                               
                                                            Director
-----------------------------------                                   
      Faye Wattleton

                               
 /s/  ROGER F. GREAVES                                      Director
-----------------------------------                                    
      Roger F. Greaves

 /s/  ROCKELL N. HANKIN                                     Director
-----------------------------------                                   
      Rockell N. Hankin
6
                               INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit No.                                  Description
         -----------                                  -----------
4.1             Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended
                             (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 3.1 of the Company's
                             Current Report on Form 8-K dated February 26, 1991)
             
             4.2             Certificate of Designations of the Series B Preferred Stock of
                             the Company (incorporated by reference from Exhibit 4.1 of the
                             Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated January 5, 1995)
             
             4.3             Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (incorporated by
                             reference from Exhibit 3.2 of the Company's Current Report on
                             Form 8-K dated June 16, 1995)
              
             5               Opinion of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher as to the legality of the
                             securities being registered
             
            23.1             Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors
             
            23.2             Consent of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher (contained in Exhibit 5
                             hereto)
              
            24               Power of Attorney (contained on signature page hereof)