Laboratory Organization

Laboratory organization involves both the physical establishment and its operation. It is perhaps simplest to divide the laboratory into its component sections and discuss each separately. The areas may physically overlap for a small facility, and depending on the operation specialty, some sections, such as tissue culture or probe amplification, may not be required. Unless the operation is large, dark room and cold room facilities and expensive equipment such as an ultracentrifuge and beta counter are best shared, if feasible. The setup of a DNA analysis facility is a relatively simple process if it is incorporated into an established biochemistry program; it is considerably more involved if no such base exists. The outline presented in this chapter is only a guide; individuals contemplating the development of a new facility should visit as many established centers as possible. Discussions with sales representatives and attendance at relevant trade shows and DNA conferences are invaluable. Office requirements for a DNA program are no different in principle from those of any other biochemistry program. At least one separate office is required, usually for the program director and, as space permits, offices for a clerk-secretary and senior technologist are useful. Everyone working in the laboratory must have at least a small partitioned desk space in a quiet location. Lockable fire-resistant cabinets are required to store sensitive records; these cabinets should be accessible, preferably located in the clerical area. Analysis results are worthless without proper documentation of a specimen’s chain of custody (continuity). Information, including time and conditions of specimen procurement, conditions of storage and shipment, date received by the laboratory, and reason for the analysis request is also required. These data can be manually recorded; however, entry into a computer program capable of sorting and maintaining records for long-term retrieval is almost mandatory. Storage of unprocessed specimens may be necessary, and if at all possible, DNA should be isolated when received.