Gamma Dynacare Medical Laboratories (GDML) consolidated their Eastern Ontario laboratories within a new custom-designed facility in the Ottawa Life Sciences Technology Park. The facility accommodates the processing and biomedical diagnostic testing of 20,000 blood, urine, and tissue samples per day. The facility, organized around a central Core Lab, handles the large testing volume through increased automated operations. Surrounding the Core Lab are specialized laboratories for cytology, histology, haematology, microbiology, fertility, biochemistry, parasitology, bacteriology, and pathology. GDML’s facility also features Canada’s first private-sector Containment Level 3 laboratory for polymerase chain reaction analysis, tuberculosis testing and work with Risk Group 3 Biological Agents.
The facility is comprised of 65% wet laboratory space and 35% administration space, and contains more than 320 items of scientific equipment each having very specific requirements. It has also been designed and constructed to implement robotic testing within the next few years. Delivered within 44 weeks via a fast-track process, the resultant building in many ways represents the Park’s flagship building.