San Diego County has officially taken possession of its new public health lab, a state-of-the-art facility that cost $93 million to construct.
Despite officially opening on April 11, the lab will not be fully operational until July, as extensive validation of sophisticated scientific equipment is underway.
Lab director Jeremy Corrigan emphasized the meticulous planning behind the lab’s design, noting specific placements such as microscopes, which were strategically situated to minimize the impact of building vibrations during delicate testing processes.
“Even though you don’t feel it, buildings will vibrate enough to mess up your microscopy, because we’re looking at very minute areas,” Corrigan stated.
To ensure the stability required for accurate microscopic analysis, a vibration study was conducted.
Inside the lab, which spans 52,000 square feet over two stories, there is a significant focus on cutting-edge equipment like genetic sequencers, polymerase chain reaction machines, and mass spectrometers capable of detecting numerous pathogens, including 40 types of bacteria and 15 viruses.
The validation process for this equipment is crucial and involves rigorously testing samples to ensure they produce accurate results compared to established reference machines.
“We put in knowns and unknowns and make sure that they come out correctly, but we also challenge the systems by putting in things like the wrong type of bacteria,” Corrigan explained.
This validation effort is particularly lengthy for tuberculosis testing, which requires a specific culturing process to grow samples on nutrient-rich plates.
Another major initiative includes bringing wastewater testing in-house, a project involving collaboration with organizations like UC San Diego and Scripps Research.
Molecular scientist Julie Tsecouras said lab staff have been learning about wastewater testing protocols from UCSD, emphasizing the need for consistency in procedures to ensure a seamless transition.
Validation also encompasses critical environmental factors, including the temperature of walk-in coolers and freezers that store samples.
All materials in contact with infectious agents must be sterilized in autoclaves before disposal, affirming the safety protocols in the new lab.
“We’re not just validating the testing process; we’re also validating the decontamination process, as well,” Corrigan said.
The lab boasts two specialized level three biosafety labs, equipped with stringent safety measures such as air-locked entries, negative pressure systems, and dedicated autoclaves for decontaminating waste.
These facilities are designed to handle high-risk pathogens, including those associated with bioterrorism.
“Every few months, someone in San Diego encounters a white powder of unknown origin, and it is the local public health lab’s obligation to make a quick identification,” Corrigan noted, detailing the lab’s important role in these swift assessments.
Despite the presence of potentially hazardous materials, most white powders analyzed often turn out to be harmless substances like corn starch, though serious pathogens like Brucella are sometimes identified.
Furthermore, the second level three lab focuses on tuberculosis, allowing for separate testing dynamics compared to the bioterrorism unit, significantly improving operational efficiency.
A new training lab has also been included on the ground floor of the facility, addressing a gap in the previous lab’s structure that lacked dedicated training space.
The entire building layout facilitates a streamlined workflow, featuring a cooler for storing deceased animals undergoing examinations for contagious diseases, predominantly for rabies testing.
Incorporating feedback from lab staff during the design phase has been crucial, according to Elizabeth Hernandez, San Diego County’s public health director.
She shared, “The public health laboratory staff had input from day one until the finishing touches. It was developed for them to serve the community.”
The new facility is expected to enhance capabilities considerably, including bringing rabies testing in-house and leveraging modern technology for more efficient operations.
The lab’s investment in genetic sequencing technology is likely to expedite the identification of viral subtypes, which is particularly beneficial during public health crises like the hepatitis A outbreak among San Diego’s unhoused population in 2017.
Previously, determining virus subtypes required sending samples to state labs, resulting in significant delays.
Now, the lab is better equipped for high-volume testing, with additional space accommodating more instrumentation that could be essential during future pandemics requiring widespread testing.
Nicholas Rhoades, a microbiologist, commented on the enhanced capabilities, stating, “Now we have the space and the tools to do the science properly. We were limited to sequencing things like COVID and foodborne outbreaks, but having this big beautiful space allows us to expand to other public health pathogens, and to do new stuff like wastewater testing, in a clean way so that we can guarantee that the results are accurate.”
Expanding the lab’s resources has necessitated hiring approximately 20 new lab workers, with positions funded through federal and state grants.
While the lab’s annual operating budget stands at $25 million, its long-term sustainability hinges on ongoing funding support amid potential budget cuts currently under consideration.
The new facility signifies a major advancement for San Diego County’s public health infrastructure, highlighting the importance of functionality and precision in modern laboratory environments.
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