Research laboratory

The Research Laboratory

Summary

Science

Laboratory

Scientist

Laboratory

Research Immunology laboratories come in several different guises. An NHS laboratory may run a research section that directly supports the routine diagnostic service. It serves this purpose by designing new assays and improving existing ones, evaluating commercially produced assay kits and collating diagnostic data to monitor disease indicators and prevalence in specific populations. Research is also carried out in dedicated laboratories affiliated to academic institutions. Work in these labs is often focused more on the actual workings of the immune systems so that reasons why diseases occur and progress can be discovered. Scientists working in these environments often work closely with medical doctors when studying specific patient populations. This collaboration is particularly important for recruiting enough patients to make a study worthwhile. Depending on the subject of research, whether it is defeating HIV infection, investigating stem cell therapy for leukaemia sufferers or potential treatments for diabetes many different techniques are used. These include established methods such as the use of light microscopes to contemporary technologies including Polymerase chain reaction technology (PCR) and microarrays for investigating the genetic basis of disease.

• Background