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Public Health Regional Laboratory: About the Laboratory

The Public Health Regional Laboratory provides specimen testing services to the counties of Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake and Humboldt in Northern California. The lab is also designated as a Level-3 lab for biological safety, and would serve six North Bay counties during a public health emergency, such as a flu pandemic. Additionally, the Public Health Regional Laboratory is liaison to the California State Microbial Diseases Laboratory (MDL), the State Viral and Rickettsial Disease Laboratory (VRDL), and the National Centers for Disease Control.

The laboratory's team of professionals is led by Michael Ferris, Director of Laboratory Services. The laboratory provides training and reference testing to clinical laboratories, and laboratory support for diagnosis and control of communicable diseases to private medical providers.

The Santa Rosa laboratory features the LightCycler, an instrument that examines an organism's genetic material and provides results without requiring scientists to grow contagious specimens in a traditional culture. For patients, the LightCycler means a quicker diagnosis, better treatment and a greater chance at preventing the spread of disease.

Hospitals and medical providers rely on the lab for tests they perform infrequently, for rare diseases and for those requiring specialized equipment or expertise.

The Public Health Regional Laboratory offers these types of testing services:

• Bacteriology
• Molecular Diagnostics
• Parasitology
• Serology
• Shellfish & Water
• TB/Mycology
• Tick-borne Diseases
• Virology

The Public Health Regional Laboratory is located at the Department of Health Services Administration building in Santa Rosa:

Public Health Regional Laboratory
3313 Chanate Road
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Phone: 707-565-4711
Fax: 707-565-7839

You can download a map and directions to the Public Health Regional Laboratory.