Many of our clients have no idea that BAL supports human diagnostic testing, specifically research related to patients that have undergone arthroplasty surgery (such as hip replacement). On May 9-10, one of our scientists, Russell Gerads, presented two invited lectures at the ASTM Symposium "Beyond the Implant: Retrieval Analysis Methods for Implant Surveillance" in Toronto:  Characterization of Cobalt in Periprosthetic Tissues and Fluids: Toxicological and Clinical Importance of Standardizing Quality Analytical Methods for Differentiating Cobalt Partitioning at the Molecular Level and Total Elemental Analyses of Biological Fluids - Variables and Data Concerns . These presentations focused on the concerns regarding total cobalt and chromium in human biological fluids, as well as the patented BAL Reflexive Test to measure an individual's inherent cobalt detoxification capacity before an arthroplasty surgery is even performed. Contact us today to identify how partnering with BAL can make both you and your team ready to tackle the complex challenges of the twenty-first century.

Effectively managing risk is critical to the success of any business and any project. While the choice of analytical laboratory may be only one component of the overall risk associated with a given endeavor, it is an essential one because the data generated by the lab informs the decisions made throughout the project's life cycle. Inaccurate or late data can lead to significant schedule and cost overruns, potentially jeopardizing the project. Partnering with Brooks Applied Labs (BAL) can help maximize your project's chance of success because we understand the importance of meaningful, accurate, and timely data.

The BAL staff recently glimpsed the future during our 1st Annual Bring Your Kids to Work Day, when 10 children, ranging in age from 6 - 13, spent the day at BAL. The day began with collecting water samples at a nearby creek and their first lesson in " clean hands/dirty hands" sample collection. Back at the lab, they "received" their samples and preserved them (with vinegar). Pipettes were a huge hit! Over lunch, the kids were entertained with a presentation on why we do what we do at BAL. Then, it was time to suit up in their PPE for a tour of the lab. At the end of the day, when asked what their favorite activity at their parent's work was, the consensus was trying to catch frogs in the creek while collecting samples!