Vol. 8, No. 4
April 2016
Link from the past connects to the future

Dr. Henry Albert spent the summer of 1904 studying pathology, bacteriology and public health in Europe at some of the most famous laboratories in the world. In the fall, the 26-year-old medical doctor returned to the University of Iowa, his alma mater, as professor and head of the UI Department of Pathology and Bacteriology, and the first director of the State Hygienic Laboratory (then the State Bacteriological Laboratory).

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HazMat prepares for chemical threats

The typical workday for a member of a HazMat team generally does not involve hazardous materials. It’s more likely to include structural and car fires, automobile accidents, and EMS calls. A few times a year, HazMat teams will receive a call from a dispatcher about a chemical release. Sometimes the substance is known. Sometimes it’s not.

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Hygienic Lab salutes public lab professionals

The work of laboratory staff who help maintain and improve health and quality of life is celebrated as part of Medical Laboratory Professionals Week April 24 – 30.

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APHL salutes Berberich and Iowa program

A national newborn screening award presented to Stanton Berberich of the State Hygienic Laboratory honors not only Berberich, but Iowa's commitment to saving the lives of newborns.

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Prairie burns to start new life

It seems counter-intuitive: burning a field to encourage new growth. It’s a practice, though, that has been used for thousands of years to feed the soil with nutrition-rich ashes. The tallgrass prairie on the south and west sides of the Hygienic Laboratory has new life because of a burn conducted on April 2 by the University of Iowa Facilities Maintenance Landscape Services section.

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Photo feature: Burn for benefit

In 2009, as part of its LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification, the Hygienic Lab partnered with Cedar Rapids-based OPN Architects to restore a piece of a ecosystem - the tallgrass prairie - on its Coralville campus. University of Iowa Facilities Maintenance conducted a controlled burn earlier this month to give the prairie new life.

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