The first reference analyses in the history of the laboratory were hormonal detections, then an analytical novelty, and carried on from there to include other fields such as cytogenetics and toxicology, as complements to the classical laboratory areas of biochemistry, haematology, Immunology, and microbiology. More recent technologies like molecular biology, based on the amplification and sequencing of nucleic acids, have been subsequently incorporated to respond to the increasing demand in the diagnoses and evaluation of hereditary diseases, oncology and infectious diseases. Analytical techniques based on mass-spectrometry, gas- and liquid- chromatography (LC/MS/MS) and ICP-MS, the latter for the study of periodic table elements, are also currently extensively used in the laboratory.

The technological and professional expertise of the laboratory has enabled its access to the field of clinical trials (Phases I-IV), with the opening of a Phase I clinical trial unit that incorporates 32 beds in collaboration with the Dos de Maig Hospital in Barcelona, and a Pharmacokinetics Unit equipped with state-of-the-art technology in accordance with GLP standards nº BPLI/0502/004/CAT (Royal Decree 1369/2000, July 19th, modifying Royal Decree 822/1993, of May 28th, in which the principles and implementation of Good Laboratory Practices are put forward for non clinical trials of substances and chemicals in the analysis of drug levels and their respective metabolites in biological samples)

Our customer’s needs prompted the development of new departments such as Industry and Veterinary Medicine, with the aim to provide an integral service to companies and centres for which health control checks in employees were already being performed and which required further testing such as water, food or environmental analyses. Likewise, Pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, for whom work was already being carried out in the field of clinical trials, were faced with the need of sampling raw materials, sterility controls, particles-in-vials, etc, that could be solved with the current staff and technological resources of the laboratory.

The end result of all these developmental efforts is the R+D+I unit which channels and develops all special sampling demands not listed in our catalogues, and the introduction of new technologies.

Quality Assurance is also a priority of the laboratory, and a special unit, Quality Management was created for this purpose, managing the preparation of audits and certifications and the encouragement of a Total Quality policy throughout the institution. In 1998, the laboratory was awarded the ISO9001-1994 certification and is now re-certified ISO9001-2000 since July 2006 nº 91299973/3.

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