Clinical chemistry
The Clinical Chemistry department covers the fields of basic diagnostics, special analytics and clinical toxicology. Around 3.5 million analysis results are produced each year. As a service provider, the Clinical Chemistry department focuses on the provision of rapidly available laboratory results. With the instruments available, the department also supports clinical studies with qualified laboratory analysis.
Address and contact
University Hospital Basel
Clinical Chemistry
Petersgraben 4
CH-4031 Basel
Phone +41 61 265 42 20
Fax +41 61 265 46 00
Opening hours
Basic clinical chemical diagnostics: 24 hours
Sample collection: 24 hours
Clinical toxicology: Mon-Fri, 8.00 - 17.00, Sat, 8.00 - 12.00
Special analysis: Mon-Fri, 8.00 - 17.00
Management
Academic management
Team leader
Basic diagnostics
This department is fully geared towards the needs of the operational and care-intensive clinical departments. It operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A large number of analyses, including drug level and hormone determinations, are carried out in this department. The range of analyses is primarily geared towards the needs of the nursing departments and outpatient clinics of the University Hospital Basel, but is also available to customers from other departments affiliated with the USB and private senders such as doctors' surgeries. The results are usually returned within two hours of the sample material arriving, but no later than the day it is sent in.
Responsible for basic diagnostics
Dr. Barbara Heim
Fachverantwortliche Basisdiagnostik; stv. Fachleiterin Klinische Chemie
Labormedizin
Tel. +41 61 32 86226
Team leader
Special analytics
In special analytics, immunological determinations of hormones, tumor markers and proteins from the field of clinical chemistry are carried out.
Infection serology tests are carried out in collaboration with Bacteriology and Virology. Clinical Chemistry is responsible for the analysis in this area. Bacteriology and virology are responsible for medical evaluation.
The results are interpreted in close cooperation with the specialists from the clinics concerned
Specialist responsible for special analysis of clinical chemistry
Specialist responsible for special analysis of infection serology
Team leader
Toxicology
As part of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM), quantitative analyses are carried out for various drug classes using modern LC-MS/MS methods. Numerous drugs are analyzed daily, and there are fixed analysis days for certain drugs. Please refer to our list of analyses for information on the frequency of analysis.
In the case of suspected drug and medication intoxications, screening procedures based on immunological methods are used in the basic diagnostics laboratory for 24 hours. LC-MS/MS and/or GC-MS methods allow the detection of a much broader spectrum of medicines, plant substances and drugs. In cases of suspected solvent intoxication (e.g. methanol) or antifreeze intoxication (e.g. ethylene glycol), methods based on GC-MS are used.
Toxicological analysis can be carried out in emergencies 365 days a year. Please contact us as soon as possible in suspected cases:
- Monday - Friday 8.00 - 17.00, Saturday/Sunday/Public holidays: 8.00 - 12.00: +41 61 265 4231
- Other times: +41 61 265 4220
Responsible for toxicology
Prof. Katharina Rentsch Savoca
Leitung
Labormedizin
Fachleiterin Klinische Chemie
Tel. +41 61 26 54236
Team leader