I would imagine that none of you have ever been in a stem cell lab.  It is a fascinating technology and the laboratory used at Vet-Stem is truly state-of-the-art.  We have had hundreds of visitors tour the lab since the opening in 2003, but regular tours are not conducted while samples are being processed.  We handle the fat sample shipped in by a veterinarian with great care and it is never opened to the room air.  We open the sample tube only inside a sterile hood where the air is filtered through a HEPA air filter that removes contaminants such as bacteria or dust.  Below is a look at one of the “hoods” for handling samples.  Read the rest of this entry »