History & Founding

Nelson Labs was founded by Dr. Jerry R. Nelson and Lynda S. Nelson in 1985, but it wasn’t their first entrepreneurial effort. Shortly after graduating from the University of Utah in 1976 with a PhD in Microbiology, Dr. Nelson founded MIDECO (microbiology development and control). He received initial startup capital of $15,000 from several of his graduate professors – clearly not enough to get the job done. Fortunately Dr. Nelson didn’t know that and did it anyway. This can-do approach helped MIDECO thrive for ten years and led to a merger with Utah Biomedical Testing Laboratory (UBTL) in 1983. Soon the Nelsons were ready to venture out on their own again and Nelson Labs was established.

• October, 1985- Nelson Laboratories opens in a 2,200 sq. ft. facility on Chipeta Way in Research Park near the University of Utah with five employees and 40 test offerings. 
• 1988- The company moves to a larger 7,500 sq. ft. facility and offers more than 100 tests.
• 1994- Nelson Labs requires more space. The company moves its 75 employees to a custom-built 24,000 sq. ft. facility in Taylorsville, Utah and offers more than 200 tests. 
• 2000- Building is expanded to more than double in size. Nelson Labs now has 62,000 sq. ft. of laboratory space.
• 2010- Nelson Labs adds a new building to their campus, providing an additional 48,000 sq. ft. Currently Nelson Labs employs more than 400 scientists and staff and offers more than 400 microbiology and analytical tests.