31. Jan 2004 18:30 1. Feb 2004 16:01

Laboratory Centre

The new Laboratory Centre will be a major research centre for the university in the field of Laboratory medicine.

The centre will also provide laboratory services for St. Olav's Hospital and the university, the other hospitals in the Central Norway health care region and the primary health service.

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) will have about 60 per cent of the total area. The building will consist of research laboratories, offices, a large auditorium and other teaching areas for nearly 300 students.

The hospital's share of the building will consist mainly of clinical laboratories.

Samples will be taken in the clinical centres, and transported via automatic systems to the Laboratory Centre. The building will consist of five floors.

The new Laboratory Centre will be organized on the basis of effective activity flows, and the establishment of functional and flexible units. The organizational structure based on disciplines such as clinical chemistry and microbiology will be continued, with greater emphasis on work processes and shared methods. 

Information technology will be crucial for effective of transfer of the test results. Exceptions include haematological analysis at the Environmental Centre and blood gas analysis at the Abdominal and Cardiothoracic centres.

In addition to chemical, microbiological and pathological laboratories, the Laboratory Centre will include clinical and large scale research laboratories in molecular biology, genetics and DNA analysis. Blood donor facilities and a smaller chapel are also included. The blood bank and the hospital's interdenominational chapel of rest will be the only parts of the centre which are used by the public.

Facts: Laboratory Centre:

Construction starts: December 9, 2002
Planned completion date: 2006
Gross area: 25,400 m²
Project Manager: Morten Marøy
Principal architecht: Medplan