Gary W. Procop, MD, MS, chair of the Department of Molecular Pathology, section head of molecular microbiology, and director of mycology and parasitology at the Cleveland Clinic, talks to contributing editor Tanuja Koppal, PhD, about the clinic’s $75 million state-of-the-art medical testing laboratory that opened in 2012. The building houses microbiology, molecular pathology, cytogenetics, and immunopathology as well as administrative offices. He talks about the thinking that went into designing the building and its labs and shares some insights on what people need to consider when embarking on such initiatives, however small or large. He emphasizes that both people and laboratories should always be open to change, making way for new advancements in science and technology.

Counting the total number of live microorganisms (TVC/TVO) on a Petri dish is one of the main laboratory procedures. It has been used worldwide in microbiological, medical, food, biotechnological, and environmental laboratories ever since the Petri dish was invented more than 120 years ago.