Television shows like “CSI” and “Silent Witness” sometimes create an exaggerated, rapid-fire perception of laboratory science. In reality, identifying the source of harmful exposure involves a network of specialists, advanced analytic methodology and time. It is critical that lab scientists and epidemiologists accurately characterize the source of exposure to reduce the prevalence of acute and chronic illnesses.

The Feb. 28 “Science on Tap” lecture explored the misconceptions and realities of laboratory science at Stanley Café in the UI’s Hancher Auditorium. The State Hygienic Laboratory’s Wade Aldous, Director of the Disease Control Division, and Susie Dai, Director of the Environmental Health Division, discussed case studies of pathogenic and chemical exposures that are part of the public health system.

The “Science on Tap” series is free and open to the public. It is jointly sponsored by the UI Research Development Office and Hancher.