James Woodhall and Christian Cumagun, University of Idaho – WPDN
The Communicator: Volume 5, Issue 3, March 2024
The diagnosticians at the University of Idaho have a new home. On February 20th over 200 people were present at the Parma Research and Extension Center to see Idaho Governor Brad Little officially open the Center for Plant and Soil Health.
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The 12-million-dollar facility houses labs dedicated for plant diagnostics, molecular biology, hops quality, nematology, and pomology. Funding for the new building was from the university, the state, and donations from industry stakeholders. The new labs replace outdated facilities, some more than 50 years old.
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The new labs have been designed with a view to processing samples. Close to the main entrance is an outer receiving lab with washing facilities which adjoins an inner receiving lab with biosafety hood and microscopes where the main initial diagnostic activity is expected to take place. Further into the building are dedicated labs for nematology, molecular biology, microbiology, preparing buffers/processing waste, and pomology. The molecular biology lab is one of the largest areas of the new building with a large room dedicated to nucleic acid extraction and dedicated rooms for pre-PCR, PCR, and gel electrophoresis. The building has an air handling and filtration system to ensure the pressure in each room reduces the potential for cross-contamination. The additional space and design allow for more efficient processing of samples.
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