2026 Public Health Laboratory Newsroom
Meet the Scientist: Biosafety Coordinator Eric Lundquist

Eric Lundquist is the biosafety coordinator for the Infectious Disease Laboratory, a section of the Minnesota Public Health Laboratory. The lab is equipped to handle some of the most dangerous substances on Earth. It regularly tests samples for the deadly and highly contagious pathogens that cause tularemia, brucellosis, rabies, meningitis, salmonella infection, etc. In such an environment, it is vital to have a full-time biosafety coordinator maintaining the highest safety standards to prevent staff from contracting and spreading infections.

As one of Minnesota’s few experts in biosafety, Eric also trains and advises private and hospital microbiology laboratories throughout the state on safety procedures. He also visits labs that have been exposed to a contagious disease to discover who may have been infected and how to improve processes. This service is provided free of charge to labs.  

An early interest in science

Eric Lundquist’s interest in science was first sparked by his sixth-grade teacher, who took him on a 30-minute introduction to flying an airplane. His 10th-grade physics teacher also fostered Eric’s interest in aviation.

Because Eric is colorblind, he could not become a commercial pilot. Instead, he went to a technical college for training in aircraft dispatching. An aircraft dispatcher works for an airline, planning routes, scheduling fuel stops, arranging airplane loading, and ensuring flights are as safe as possible. Aircraft dispatchers are distinct from air traffic controllers, who are government employees.

Eric enjoyed working in aviation and loved the perk of flying anywhere for free. However, working for an airline can be turbulent. He weathered budget and labor problems in an industry that was not known for job security.

Career change to medical science

After many years in aviation Eric decided to become a medical laboratory scientist. He got a bachelor’s degree and worked in a hospital lab for eight years. This work requires training in four main disciplines:

• Microbiology: Samples from patients come to medical labs to be tested for diseases. Some of the most commonly requested microbiology tests are for strep throat, wound infections, and a type of staph infection caused by Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
• Blood banking: Medical laboratory scientists must find compatible blood for people who need blood transfusions.
• Hematology: To diagnose and manage blood disorders such as anemia, leukemia, hemophilia, etc., lab scientists examine red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, plasma, and other blood components.
• Clinical chemistry: When you are sick in the hospital, clinical chemistry monitors things like your metabolic function to see how you are responding to treatment. Clinical chemistry also monitors your metabolic function, as well as hormone levels, etc., during regular check-ups to detect if there may be an issue with your health before you notice symptoms. It covers a wide range of other tests that do not fall under the other disciplines.

Eric worked in clinical chemistry and then microbiology. As part of his microbiology work, he helped groups of college students with their clinical laboratory rotations, which are like internships. The experience taught Eric that he enjoyed teaching and giving presentations.

During the Ebola outbreak of 2014, Eric’s hospital system became what was then called an “assessment hospital.” The hospital was prepared to treat any patient who came to the United States infected with Ebola. Eric volunteered to undergo the extensive training necessary to work with Ebola. This entailed a much higher level of safety standards, including full-body personal protective equipment (PPE) and a high-containment lab.

Working for the Minnesota Department of Health

In 2015, Eric Lundquist saw a job opening for a microbiologist at the Minnesota Department of Health. At the interview for the position, the interviewer asked if he would be interested in devoting half of his time to work as a biosafety outreach coordinator.  Eric’s experience with training people and in working with extremely dangerous pathogens made him a perfect fit. Now as a full-time biosafety coordinator, Eric’s work enables the Minnesota Public Health Laboratory to maintain its position as one of the most valuable institutions in Minnesota’s health care infrastructure, capable of dealing with the world’s most dangerous diseases.

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