Logan Voss
When someone says the word “laboratory,” you might imagine a complex facility with white-coated scientists conducting dangerous experiments. While many of these establishments do perform important research and experimentation, there are all kinds of facilities that have different functions and objectives. Here’s a guide to the different types of laboratories to help explain the nuances.
Cleanrooms
Laboratories aren’t just workplaces for mad scientists; they are also controlled environments where professionals can create sensitive products. Cleanrooms are good examples of this since these facilities must maintain specific conditions to avoid contamination. Experts make a wide range of items in these labs, such as pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and even fragile electronic devices.
Government Labs
Another type of laboratory you might not know about is government labs. These institutions don’t always practice science in a traditional sense, but they do gather essential data for the greater good. Government funding allows these entities to make great strides in various sectors, including energy and infrastructure. For example, studies like the Human Genome Project advance our understanding of genetics and allow medical professionals to tailor treatments based on patients’ unique genes.
Research Facilities
While virtually all lab settings perform some type of research, institutions use specific research facilities for industrial development. These unique sites usually operate to solve long-term industry problems and even collect information about the humanities and social sciences. Research facilities are less concerned with creating products and focus more on big-picture research that can benefit society as a whole.
Medical Labs
Medical laboratories are essential to our overall health and well-being. From diagnostic facilities dedicated to preventative practices to clinical labs discovering various illnesses and diseases, the medical field could not operate without these highly specialized establishments. Medical labs must follow strict guidelines regarding how laboratories store hazardous waste to create safe and sustainable environments, so professionals must be highly knowledgeable to work in these settings.
Knowing about the different types of laboratories allows regular people to understand industries better and show appropriate appreciation. Every kind of research facility is essential, and our society would not be where it is today without these crucial institutions.
