Our Laboratories
Health Canada has over 160 research scientists working in 50 laboratories in 15 locations across the country. Our labs focus on a number of different areas within science and research. These include:
- Diseases and health conditions;
- Health and the environment;
- Food, drugs and consumer products; and
- Health protection and promotion.
Our labs also serve as mentoring facilities for our Postdoctoral Fellows and they encourage the building of partnerships through programs such as our Visiting Fellowships Program and Postdoctoral Fellowship Program.
The following provides some specific examples of the kind of work that takes place in our labs.
First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) Research Laboratory
The FNIHB Research Laboratory takes part in surveys of First Nations populations exposed to environmental contaminants such as mercury found in hair, blood and urine. The lab coordinates an International Mercury in Hair Quality Assurance Program, and labs on five other continents participate in this program. The lab also provides a quality assurance function for the contract labs participating in FNIHB's National First Nations Environmental Contaminant Program (NFNECP).
Toxicology Research Division Laboratory
This lab is responsible for identifying and investigating potential health hazards associated with novel foods, food-borne chemical contaminants (including those that originate in the environmental), agriculturally used chemicals and natural food toxicants.
Health Product and Food Branch ( HPFB) Inspectorate Laboratories
The HPFB Inspectorate Laboratories help inspectors by analyzing drugs for human or veterinary use, medical devices, and natural health products.
Nutrition Research Division Laboratory
This lab carries out research and surveillance to make sure that the Canadian food supply is safe from nutritional hazards and that it meets nutritional requirements. The lab has expertise in lipids, carbohydrates, protein, dietary fibre, energy, minerals, vitamins, nutritional genomics, nutritional molecular biology, food composition databases and survey methodology.
Product Safety Laboratory (PSL)
PSL is responsible for a number of health and science areas, including making sure that consumer products meet the standards outlined in the  Hazardous Products Act (HPA). The lab also specializes in analytical chemistry, flammability and mechanical engineering.
Diagnostic X-Ray Laboratory
The Diagnostic X-Ray Laboratory does research that deals with X-ray image quality and equipment performance issues, along with measuring equipment calibration, training and testing methodology for diagnostic X-ray equipment, including dental X-ray equipment and accessories.
Medical Devices Laboratory
This lab conducts studies of the physical, chemical and biomedical aspects of medical devices before and after they are available in the marketplace. This helps to make sure that devices are and continue to be safe for public use. The lab has scientists and engineers with expertise in physics, biophysics, chemistry, electrophysiology, biomedical engineering, materials science and biotechnology.
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