The 290,000 SF facility will house many important services provided by the Department of Health’s Office of Laboratory Services, such as newborn screening, water quality, and threat preparedness, as well as the WV State Police Forensics Laboratory responsible for seized drugs, trace evidence, latent prints, and the crime scene response unit. The facility will also contain an autopsy suite for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, testing space for the Division of Labor’s Weights and Measures, along with training space for West Virginia University and Marshall University.

With its cutting-edge design and focus on collaboration, the new consolidated lab will serve as a vital hub for scientific innovation and public safety. While the project is scheduled to be completed in 2028, this project is already serving as a recruiting tool to bring top talent to West Virginia.