Welcome to “New Initiatives,” a Lab Link feature that highlights recently developed projects in collaboration with state and national partners.

These new initiatives do not include renewal or ongoing collaborations. Additional partnerships are in the approval process.

Inquiries and additions to this feature are welcome, as in all sections of Lab Link.

• Telligen Community Initiative PI: Beth Hochstedler; Key personnel: Erica Larson

  The iExplore Laboratory Science initiative will provide opportunities for high school students in the underserved populations across Iowa to explore career opportunities in environmental and public health laboratory science, through real-world, hands-on laboratory science experiences.

• OpenELIS Foundation PI: Dari Shirazi

  This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) sets the terms and understanding between the OpenELIS Foundation and the State Hygienic Laboratory to provide support and services to the OpenELIS Foundation and users of the OpenELIS application.

• State of Iowa Department of Homeland Security PI: Dustin May

  This provides funding for the purchase of radiochemistry equipment to aid in quantitative analyses of samples from throughout Iowa for radiation emergency response determinations.

• State of Kansas Department of Health and Environment PI: Michael Wichman

  Through this MOU between the Hygienic Lab and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Office of Laboratory Services (Kansas Health and Environmental Laboratories or KHEL), the Hygienic Laboratory will provide radiochemical testing services to KHEL. The Hygienic Laboratory will do so when KHEL is unable to analyze environmental samples for routine monitoring or specialty radiochemical analyses and will provide emergency testing services in the event of a radiological incident in or affecting the state of Kansas.

• State of Iowa Division of Labor Services – IOSH Enforcement PI: Michael Wichman

  The purpose is to provide the Iowa Division of Labor Services with a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved accredited analytical program to complement the efforts of the Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration.