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Colorado Laboratory Forum

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12-17-07: Association of Public Health Laboratories - Online Career Center link now available. Log in and check the APHL News folder.
A photomicrograph of Bacillus anthracis bacteria using Gram stain technique. CDC Public Health Image Library. Welcome to the Colorado Laboratory Forum Web Portal Dark stained bipolar ends of Yersinia pestis can clearly be seen in this Wright's stain of blood from a plague victim. CDC Public Health Image Library.

CDPHE Laboratory Services Division
new Statewide Courier Network Map PDF file
new Schedule of Pick-Up Times, Addresses & Contacts PDF file
new CDPHE-LSD: Courier Brochure PDF file
new Notification of CAP-LPS Agent Transfer PDF file

To enter the Colorado Laboratory Forum secure Web Portal, enter your "Username" and "Password" in the boxes on the red login bar above, then click the "Submit" button.

Click here to learn more about membership requirements.

    Colorado Laboratory Forum Mission . . . 

The Colorado Laboratory Forum was formed to insure that Colorado laboratories could rapidly, safely and accurately identify biologic agents (either naturally occurring or intentionally released) and communicate analytical information to allow authorities to effectively respond to public health threats and emergencies.


    Colorado Laboratory Forum Goals . . . 

GOAL #1: Facilitate COMMUNICATIONS

One of the primary goals of the Colorado Laboratory Forum is to establish a community where forum members are able to easily communicate and exchange knowledge, expertise and skills, thereby effectively reducing the geographic barriers between Colorado laboratories. Risk communications are improved via this Forum by utilzing a more effective means of notification regarding local, national and global health alerts.

GOAL #2: Improve CAPABILITIES

Response capability of all Colorado laboratories is improved through this Forum by:

  • establishing and maintaining an inventory of laboratory analytical capabilities and capacities
  • identifying Colorado laboratory subject matter experts
  • providing recommendations for laboratory upgrades
  • strategic planning for laboratory surge capacity issues

GOAL #3: Facilitate EDUCATION and TRAINING

This Forum maintains a knowledge database to create distance learning courses and wet workshops to improve laboratorians' expertise in rapidly identifying potential agents of bioterrorism.

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Click on the button above to learn how to register for the Laboratory Preparedness Online Course


    Colorado Laboratory Forum Membership . . .

Members of the Colorado Laboratory Forum are principally laboratory scientists, supervisors and managers who conduct diagnostic and related testing that may detect biologic, chemical and radiologic agents used in terrorist acts and work in the following laboratory communities:

    1. Clinical 
    2. Public Health
    3. Veterinary
    4. Agricultural
    5. Forensic
    6. Environmental
    7. Federal Partners- CDC, FDA, USDA, EPA
    8. Research
    9. Military

Click here to request membership.

This CDC laboratorian is shown pipetting specimens while he’s conducting laboratory research. CDC Public Health Image Library.
F. tularensis, Colony characteristics when grown on Chocolate, Martin Lewis or Thayer-Martin medium include colony size of 1-3 mm, grey-white at 48-72hrs.

Transmission electron micrograph of the smallpox virus. Poxvirus, Variola. CDC Public Health Image Library - Dr. Fred Murphy, Sylvia Whitfield.
Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that have a halo, or crown-like (corona) appearance when viewed under a microscope. The coronavirus is now recognized as the etiologic agent of the 2003 SARS outbreak. CDC Public Health Image Library.

During feeding, the flea draws viable Y. pestis organisms into its esophagus, which multiply and block the proventriculus just in front of the stomach, later forcing the flea to regurgitate infected blood unto the host when it tries to swallow. CDC Public Health Image Library.
Known as a vector for the West Nile virus, this Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito has landed on a human finger. CDC Public Health Image Library/Courtesy Jim Gathany.

Ricin is a poison that can be made from the by-products produced during the processing of castor beans. CDC Public Health Image Library. Dr. Jonathan Burstein, MD/ Anthony J. Carbone MD MPH.
This photograph shows researchers at work in a CDC laboratory identifying the cause of an infectious disease outbreak. CDC Public Health Image Library.
Bacillus anthracis tenacity positive on sheep blood agar. CDC Public Health Image Library. A photomicrograph of Clostridium botulinum type A viewed using a Gram stain technique. CDC Public Health Image Library.