Biology

Using state-of-the-art molecular biological methods, METAS characterises nucleic acids in a wide variety of samples. This enables reliable analyses in the fields of diagnostics, food safety, environmental monitoring and biotechnology.

Contaminated food can contain pathogenic viruses that endanger health. As a National Reference Laboratory, METAS supports the reliable testing of food for such viruses and thus makes an important contribution to consumer protection.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) require authorisation in Switzerland. The METAS National Reference Laboratory for Genetically Modified Organisms in Food ensures the use of uniform, validated analytical methods for the detection of GMOs.