WSLH News

January 5, 2022Illuminating the Dark: Molecular Networking as a Novel Psychoactive Substance Identification StrategyHeather Barkholtz, assistant professor in the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy and the WSLH Forensic Toxicology section, was awarded a $270,000+ grant from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the research, development and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. The research project is entitled Illuminating the Dark: Molecular Networking as a Novel […]

January 4, 2022Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2022 Holiday SchedulePlease note the following changes to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s operations due to the observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday. The table below lists the hours of operations for our Clinical Specimen Receiving departments. As always, if you have an off-hours emergency, please call the WSLH Emergency Pager at 608-263-3280. […]

December 22, 2021WisCon Photo One of UW’s Faves of 2021The photographers for UW Communications chose their favorite photos of 2021 and Bryce Richter’s photo below of WisCon Consultant Danica Harrier and Program Manager Ernie Stracener made the cut. In the photo Danica and Ernie are demonstrating an N95 respirator fit testing kit WisCon developed for long-term care facilities to use during the pandemic.

December 22, 2021ASBMB Today – Meet Data Scientist Kelsey FlorekWSLH Senior Data Scientist Kelsey Florek sat down for an interview with ASBMB Today, the member magazine of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, to talk about what bioinformatics is, Kelsey’s work at the WSLH, and her career journey. Read the interview

December 15, 2021Impaired Driving/OWI BLOOD Kit Vendor Change (as of 01/01/2022)In accordance with Wis. 343.305, the WSLH provides specimen collection kits to law enforcement agencies, hospitals and clinics for the purpose of an OWI investigation. The contract with the current OWI kit vendor has expired and a new contract has been awarded to a new vendor. As of January 1, 2022, the WSLH will be […]

December 1, 20212021 Holiday SchedulePlease note the following changes to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s operations due to the observance of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. The table below lists the hours of operations for our Clinical Specimen Receiving department. We will have staffing to accept clinical specimens at both our 2601 Agriculture Drive and our 465 […]

December 1, 2021Pompe disease Emergency RuleThe Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has added, by emergency rule, screening for Pompe disease to the Wisconsin Newborn Screening Program’s panel of conditions. This rule will go into effect once it is published in the Wisconsin State Journal, which is expected to occur on January 10, 2022. For more information on this rule […]

November 9, 2021Thanksgiving 2021 Holiday HoursThe Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene will be closed on Thursday, November 25, 2021 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Our Specimen Receiving departments will observe the following hours of operation for the Thanksgiving holiday: 2601 Agriculture Drive – Specimen Receiving DATE HOURS Thursday, 11/25, Thanksgiving Day CLOSED Friday, 11/26 6 AM – 4:30 PM Saturday, […]

October 1, 2021TECL Scientists and UWO Grad Student Collaborate on Horicon Marsh Heavy Metals ResearchUW Oshkosh graduate student Sarah Woody spent this past summer looking at heavy metal concentrations in sediment, plant and muskrat tissue at Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. Sarah collaborated with Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene Trace Elements Clean Lab (TECL) scientists to perform the sample processing and analysis for her research. See Sarah in her […]

October 1, 2021WSLH, UW and Oregon School District Research Bears FruitSince 2015, scientists in the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) Communicable Disease Division (CDD) have been collaborating with Dr. Jon Temte, UW professor of family medicine and UW School of Medicine and Public Health associate dean for public health and community engagement, on the Oregon Child Absenteeism Due to Respiratory Disease Study (ORCHARDS). The […]

October 1, 2021Lead Isotopes in North American Precipitation Record the Presence of Saharan DustA paper published online in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society reports on a collaboration between the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) housed at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) along with the WSLH’s Trace Elements Clean Lab and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) studying lead isotopes in precipitation during the Saharan […]

August 24, 2021Labor Day Holiday 2021 HoursPlease note the following changes to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s operations due to the observance of the Labor Day holiday. The table below lists the hours of operations for our Clinical Specimen Receiving departments. As always, if there is an emergency, please call the WSLH Emergency Answering Service at 608-263-3280. 2601 Agriculture […]

July 2, 2021UW Freshman Begins Research Career at WSLHAlthough Manasi Passi-Simhan’s freshman year at UW-Madison may have been mostly virtual in the classroom, her participation in the Undergraduate Research Scholars (URS) program provided in-person learning at the WSLH Trace Elements Clean Lab and a promising start to a long research career. According to UW-Madison, “URS is dedicated to enhancing the academic experience of […]

July 2, 2021WSLH Partners with CDC on Vaccine Effectiveness StudyWSLH Communicable Disease Division scientists developed a quantitative RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 as part of a CDC-led study looking at the effectiveness in real-world conditions of the mRNA vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. The results of the study were published in the June 30th New England Journal of Medicine. The study, which ran from […]

June 24, 2021Heather Barkholtz joins WSLH and UW School of PharmacyHeather Barkholtz, PhD, joined the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene and the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy in a joint faculty position. Dr. Barkholtz will be an assistant professor in the UW School of Pharmacy’s Pharmaceutical Sciences Division working with the WSLH Forensic Toxicology section. Her position will enhance collaboration between the WSLH and […]

June 21, 20214th of July 2021 Holiday HoursPlease note the following changes to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s operations for the weekend of July 4th. The WSLH will be closed on Monday, July 5th, in observance of the holiday. As always, if you have an off-hours emergency, please call the WSLH Emergency Pager at 608-263-3280. DATE 2601 Agriculture Drive Clinical […]

June 10, 2021Brodifacoum Testing SurveyIf you recently received a letter from the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene Chemical Emergency Response Unit asking you to take a survey about our brodifacoum testing services, please follow this link to the survey — https://uwmadison.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_513rPVMWAeMsFUN The survey will close on July 31, 2021. Thank you.

May 24, 2021Peter Shult Receives APHL Lifetime Achievement AwardPeter Shult, emeritus director of the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) Communicable Disease Division, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) in a May 19th virtual ceremony. The APHL Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals with a history of distinguished service to APHL and who made significant contributions to […]

May 13, 2021Memorial Day Holiday HoursPlease note the following changes to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s operations due to the observance of the Memorial Day holiday. The table below lists the hours of operations for our Clinical Specimen Receiving departments. We will have staffing to accept clinical specimens at both our 2601 Agriculture Drive and our 465 Henry Mall […]

April 19, 2021Alana Sterkel Promoted to WSLH Communicable Disease Division Associate DirectorAlana Sterkel, PhD, D(ABMM), SM(ASCP)CM has been promoted to Associate Director of the WSLH Communicable Disease Division (CDD) and appointed Assistant Professor (CHS) in the University of Wisconsin Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Dr. Sterkel has served as a Co-Assistant Director for CDD since 2017. Dr. Sterkel received her PhD from the University of […]

March 31, 2021UW: WisCon helps small businesses through COVID-19 pandemicThe WisCon Onsite Safety and Health Consultation program at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene helps 300+ small businesses a year provide safe and healthy workplaces for their employees and meet federal OSHA requirements – all for free. During the pandemic, WisCon expanded its consulting and training services to also include a focus on COVID-19 […]

March 31, 2021UW: Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene, partner labs serve state during pandemicIn early March 2020, the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene was one of only two labs in Wisconsin providing SARS-CoV-2 testing. But drawing on its decades-long tradition of working closely with clinical labs in the state, the WSLH and the 100+ members of the Wisconsin Clinical Laboratory Network were able to dramatically expand testing capacity. […]

March 5, 2021National Resource Toxicologist Pilot Program LaunchesResponsibility.org and the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) Forensic Toxicology Section have launched the National Resource Toxicologist Pilot Program. The program is a multi-year (2020-2022) national assessment of forensic toxicology laboratories to identify challenges, successes, gaps, and funding issues related to impaired driving (drugs and alcohol) testing and data. To launch the program, Responsibility.org […]

March 4, 2021WPR: Identifying COVID-19 Variants With DNA SequencingOn March 4th Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) Communicable Disease Division Director Dr. Allen Bateman joined Kate Archer Kent on Wisconsin Public Radio’s The Morning Show to discuss identifying COVID-19 variants using DNA (aka genomic) sequencing. The WSLH is one of 4 labs in Wisconsin performing genomic sequencing of COVID-19 virus samples to identify […]

March 4, 2021New CT, GC, TV Tests – Effective 03/15/2021On March 15, 2021, the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) Communicable Disease Division will begin testing for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC), and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) using our new Hologic Panther System. This change in testing requires different collection kits from previous test methods and previous collection kits will no longer be accepted. […]

January 22, 2021Innovative Wastewater Monitoring for COVID-19 MitigationWisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene Senior Scientist Martin Shafer published an article about Wisconsin’s COVID-19 wastewater surveillance program in Central States Water, the official magazine of the Central States Water Environment Association. The wastewater surveillance program is a joint collaboration between the WSLH, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences and the Wisconsin Department […]

January 22, 2021DNR Releases Latest Sampling Results Revealing Broader PFAS Presence in Madison Area Lakes and Yahara River ChainOn January 21st, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced the presence of elevated levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in surface water samples taken from Madison-area lakes and along the Yahara River. The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene Organic Chemistry Section analyzed the samples for 36 PFAS compounds, including PFOS and PFOA.

January 22, 2021USA TODAY NETWORK-WI: Wisconsin is among the nation’s leaders in the hunt to detect new, more dangerous COVID-19 variants like B.1.1.7The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene is one of four laboratories performing genetic sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 virus in Wisconsin patient specimens. In this story from USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin, WSLH Communicable Disease Division Director Al Bateman explains why genetic sequencing surveillance is such a powerful tool for learning where the virus is circulating and how it […]

January 20, 2021Dr. Al Bateman named Communicable Disease Division DirectorDr. Allen (Al) Bateman has been named the new Director of the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene Communicable Disease Division. The position was previously held by Dr. Peter Shult for 24 years before he retired in December 2020. Dr. Bateman served as a Co-Assistant Director under Dr. Shult since 2017. Dr. Bateman earned his PhD […]

January 8, 2021Mei Baker Receives Paster Family Foundation AwardWSLH Newborn Screening Laboratory Co-Director and UW Professor of Pediatrics Mei Baker, MD, received the 2020 Paster Family Foundation Innovation Award from the UW School of Medicine and Public Health in recognition of her newborn screening research and implementation. The award is given for a project, system improvement, or initiative that has made a difference […]

January 8, 2021Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2021 Holiday SchedulePlease note the following changes to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s operations due to the observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday. The table below lists the hours of operations for our Clinical Specimen Receiving departments. As always, if you have an off-hours emergency, please call the WSLH Emergency Pager at 608-263-3280. […]

December 11, 2020DHS Launches Wisconsin COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance DashboardOn December 9th the Wisconsin Department of Health Services launched a COVID-19 wastewater surveillance dashboard. Dashboard data is provided by scientists with the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene COVID-19 wastewater surveillance program and researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. According to the DHS news release, “The new dashboard contains sewershed locations and boundaries, the levels […]

December 9, 2020WSLH Scientists Contribute to Wisconsin Fish Consumption AdvisoryOn December 8th the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services released the 2020-2021 fish consumption advisory booklet Choose Wisely: A Health Guide for Eating Fish in Wisconsin. According to the DNR news release, “The updated booklet outlines safe-eating guidelines for fish based on levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), […]

December 8, 20202020 Holiday SchedulePlease note the following changes to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s operations due to the observance of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. The table below lists the hours of operations for our Clinical Specimen Receiving department. We will have staffing to accept clinical specimens at both our 2601 Agriculture Drive and our 465 […]

December 1, 2020Cap Times: UW Hygiene lab uses wastewater samples to detect trendsThe Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s wastewater surveillance research project was featured in the Capital Times series on University of Wisconsin-Madison research inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic. Research inspired by COVID-19: UW Hygiene lab uses wastewater samples to detect trends

November 16, 2020WSLH Employee Recognition AwardsOn November 2, 2020, WSLH Director Jamie Schauer presented the 2020 WSLH Employee Recognition Awards via Zoom. The WSLH Employee Recognition Awards Program was created in 2018 as one of many ways to bring awareness to all the great work being accomplished throughout the lab. The nominees for the 2020 awards are (in alphabetical order): […]

November 16, 2020Thanksgiving 2020 Holiday HoursThe Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene will be closed on Thursday, November 26, 2020 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Our Specimen Receiving departments will observe the following hours of operation for the Thanksgiving holiday: 2601 Agriculture Drive – Specimen Receiving DATE HOURS Thursday, 11/26, Thanksgiving Day CLOSED Friday, 11/27 6 AM – 4:30 PM Saturday, […]

November 9, 2020Archived Webinars Down for Maintenance on 11/14/20On Saturday, November 14th, from 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM we will be performing maintenance on the system that supports our archived webinars. Webinars will be unavailable during this time period. We apologize for any inconvenience.

September 16, 2020WISC-TV: Scientists, researchers collecting wastewater to test for COVIDWISC-TV interviewed Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene Senior Scientist Martin Shafer about the statewide SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 virus) wastewater surveillance project. Looking for COVID-19 virus in wastewater is being heralded as a potential way to identify emerging outbreaks in communities. The surveillance study will provide for trend analysis and potential early detection of SARS-CoV-2 in communities across the […]

September 16, 2020Amy Miles Named DRE Ambassador by International Association of Chiefs of PoliceIn August, WSLH Forensic Toxicology Director Amy Miles was named a DRE Ambassador by the International Association of Chiefs of Police-Drug Recognition Experts Section. The DRE Ambassador is awarded to an individual who, while never having been certified as a DRE, has made significant contributions to the DECP – Drug Evaluation and Classification (DEC) Program. […]

August 20, 2020Webinar: Fit Testing and Other Respiratory Program Requirements for COVID-19WisCon and the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) in conjunction with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) and the State Emergency Operations Center (WEM/SEOC) will be hosting three webinars to orient stakeholders to OSHA respiratory protection requirements, fit testing, medical assessment, and respirator re-use as related to N95 respirators. Webinar Information […]

August 20, 2020Labor Day Holiday 2020 HoursPlease note the following changes to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s operations due to the observance of the Labor Day holiday. The table below lists the hours of operations for our Clinical Specimen Receiving departments. As always, if there is an emergency, please call the WSLH Emergency Answering Service at 608-263-3280. 2601 Agriculture Drive (Direct […]

August 10, 2020Errin Rider Joins WSLH as Associate Director of Clinical TestingThe Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) is pleased to announce that Errin Rider, Ph.D., D(ABMM), M(ASCP)CM, has accepted the position of WSLH Associate Director of Clinical Testing. She will begin her new position on Sept. 1st. Dr. Rider comes to the WSLH from the Riverside County Public Health Laboratory in California where she serves […]

July 21, 2020NEW Legionella RT-PCR Test for Clinical SpecimensLegionellae are common contaminates of artificial water systems, including air-conditioning systems, cooling towers, and jacuzzis where conditions may be optimal for growth and proliferation. Once aerosolized, the bacteria can enter the human respiratory tract and cause disease manifesting as Legionnaires’ disease, a severe form of pneumonia, or Pontiac fever, a self-limiting flu-like illness. Symptoms include […]

July 3, 2020Webinar: SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 Lab UpdateOn July 2, 2020, Dr. Al Bateman, assistant director in the WSLH Communicable Disease Division, gave a SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 Lab Update focusing on where we have been, where we are and where things might be heading. His talk included in-depth information on testing methodologies and the potential of whole-genome sequencing to help us know even more […]

July 3, 2020Stanton Receives APHL Gold Standard Award for Public Health Laboratory ExcellenceAt an online ceremony on June 26th, Noel Stanton received the Gold Standard Award for Laboratory Excellence from the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL). This award is given to an APHL member that makes or has made significant contributions to the technical advancement of public health laboratory science and/or practice. APHL lauded Stanton’s national […]

July 2, 2020WSLH Forensic Toxicology Lab Featured in National Opioids Biosurveillance StoryThe WSLH Forensic Toxicology lab and its work on opioids biosurveillance in the state and nationally is featured in the latest issue of the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) Lab Matters magazine. From the article – The forensic laboratory at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene is one of a handful of US forensic […]

June 22, 2020WSLH COVID Response – Population Health SurveillanceOn June 17th, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) announced two COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2) population-based surveillance programs – both featuring laboratory analysis by the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene. Antibody Surveillance The WSLH Communicable Disease Division will be performing antibody testing for the Past Antibody COVID-19 Community Survey (PACCS). This study is being […]

June 22, 20204th of July Weekend HoursPlease note the following changes to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene’s operations for the weekend of July 4th. As always, if you have an off-hours emergency, please call the WSLH Emergency Pager at 608-263-3280. DATE 2601 Agriculture Drive Clinical Specimen Receiving Direct phone: 608-224-4229 465 Henry Mall Clinical Specimen Receiving Direct phone: 608-265-9188 […]

June 5, 2020WSLH COVID Response –Wastewater Surveillance and PPE DeconIn addition to continued COVID-19 virus testing in the Communicable Disease Division, the WSLH response to the pandemic has expanded to include surveillance for the virus in wastewater as well as helping the state and local communities decontaminate PPE. Wastewater Surveillance In late May, a team of WSLH Environmental Health Division researchers – Jocelyn […]