State Hygienic Lab at the University of Iowa

State Hygienic Lab named healthiest lab in the nation
Monday, June 13, 2022
The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) named the State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa as the healthiest lab in the nation at the association's annual meeting in May. Created in 2009, the APHL Healthiest Laboratory Award is part of its Healthiest Laboratory Initiative. Sponsored by HDR, Inc., an architectural firm specializing in laboratory design, the award recognizes...

Earth Month feature: The State Hygienic Laboratory partners with IDNR to serve the environmental needs of the state
Wednesday, April 20, 2022
From the air we breathe, to the water we drink, to the soil that we walk on, staff at the State Hygienic Laboratory (SHL) at the University of Iowa, in partnership with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, have a hand in monitoring the health of Iowa’s precious natural resources. “Our staff scientists are very hands-on in our mission to collect and analyze samples,” said Michael Schueller...

As Omicron surge peaks in Iowa, SHL staff deliver a systematic and coordinated response
Friday, February 11, 2022
On a frigid morning in mid-January, tiny flurries swirled outside the University of Iowa State Hygienic Lab building as an unusual sight, an eighteen-wheeler UPS semi-truck, slowly backed up to the loading dock with a daily delivery of samples. Inside the truck was a record-breaking haul: fifty-five 4’ x 4’ bags containing COVID-19 test kits from Iowans across the state. Each bag contained...

UI State Hygienic Lab plays critical role in monitoring air quality for Iowans
Friday, August 20, 2021
You’ve probably heard about the outdoor air quality alerts in Iowa over the last few weeks, but do you know how the data that drives the alerts is collected? The University of Iowa State Hygienic Lab (SHL) operates a network of monitors around the state to understand the potential impact that the ambient air quality could have on the citizens of Iowa. Through a contract with the Iowa Department of...

State Hygienic Lab staff show exceptional commitment to serving Iowans during COVID-19
Thursday, July 9, 2020
The State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa (SHL) is cross-training staff and operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week to meet testing demands. Since March, the scientists and administrators at the SHL have overcome numerous challenges to provide rapid, high-volume testing to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Iowa. The lab needed to rapidly ramp up its staffing, navigate shifting...