Laboratory

A laboratory, or lab, is a facility equipped for scientific experimentation, measurement, analysis, and data collection. Laboratories support research and development in academia, industry, medicine, and government, and range from small teaching rooms to large complex centers.

A laboratory typically provides a controlled environment with workbenches, specialized instruments, utilities such as electrical power and plumbing, and safety features including ventilation and containment systems. Activities include formulating hypotheses, conducting experiments, measuring results, calibrating equipment, validating methods, and recording observations in lab notebooks or electronic systems.

There are many types of laboratories: academic research labs in universities, clinical or medical diagnostic labs, industrial laboratories for quality control and product development, environmental and forensic laboratories, and field laboratories. Each type emphasizes different methods, standards, and safety requirements.

Assurance and governance: laboratories operate under safety regulations and quality standards. Accreditation programs such as ISO/IEC 17025 apply to testing and calibration laboratories; Good Laboratory Practice and Good Manufacturing Practice guide nonclinical studies and production. Proper waste disposal, hazard assessment, and use of personal protective equipment are essential.

History and technology: modern laboratories developed during the Scientific Revolution and matured in the 19th and 20th centuries with standardized procedures and recordkeeping. Common equipment includes microscopes, spectrometers, chromatographs, incubators, centrifuges, autoclaves, and biosafety cabinets; information management systems such as laboratory information management systems help track samples and data.