State officials marked the opening of a 140,000-square-foot lab that will handle newborn screening, disease testing, water analysis and other services for the Department of Public Health and the Department of Environmental Services.
Based on a release from S.C. Dept. of Public Health.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The S.C. Department of Public Health (DPH) and the S.C. Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) celebrated the opening of the state’s new Public Health and Environmental Laboratory on July 14, according to DPH.
The 140,000-square-foot facility replaces a laboratory that was nearly 50 years old and provides expanded capacity, advanced technology and enhanced flexibility for the state’s public health and environmental testing needs, according to DPH.
The laboratory supports newborn screening, infectious disease testing, emergency response, drinking water analysis, environmental monitoring and radiological testing, according to DPH. It is jointly used by DPH and SCDES.
“This is a proud moment not just for two state agencies but for the state and people of South Carolina,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, acting director of DPH. “We now have a truly world-class, state-of-the-art public health and environmental laboratory with national CDC Laboratory Response Network Level 1 status, which only 10 other laboratories in the nation have, as well as room to grow and accommodate new technologies as they emerge to protect South Carolinians and their families.”
“This highly advanced laboratory represents an investment in the future of South Carolina as it will support a resilient natural environment for generations to come,” said Myra Reece, director of SCDES. “Our environmental lab professionals now have a modern, leading-edge facility for performing their essential work that helps protect the water we drink and the air we breathe, and much more. With South Carolina’s population and economy growing every day, it’s never been more important to advance our capabilities for protecting our air, land and water resources.”
The laboratory was designed by Caplea Coe Architects in association with HDR Architecture and built by Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, according to DPH. Construction began in 2024.
About 120 DPH and 71 SCDES lab employees are expected to begin relocating to the facility in August, with a full move-in expected by fall, according to DPH. The facility also includes added space for training, education, collaboration and research, along with updated laboratory safety and security features, according to DPH.
Source: S.C. Dept. of Public Health original release.
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Thomas Hyslip lives in Tega Cay with his wife and daughter. After 27 years in the U.S. Army and Federal Law Enforcement, he retired to pursue his passion for teaching. Tom is now an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida. In 2 short years he has won 10 awards from the South Carolina Press Association, including first place in column writing, education beat reporting and best podcast.
