When I'm looking for information on laboratories and the various projects they're working on, I tend to enjoy websites with engaging visuals and comprehensive information on their latest scientific findings. While polished design elements are important for keeping my attention, I value great functionality so I can easily explore the site and its offerings.
I've rounded up 5 sites that perfectly combine refined aesthetics with user-friendly navigation tools. Whether your research facility, scientific institution, or university lab is in need of a standout website, our AI laboratory website builder should be your go-to for creating an innovative site in under a minute.
Zarla checks that sites meet basic web standards for mobile and desktop. We also use Google's PageSpeed Insights, and WAVE, a service that evaluates accessibility for individuals with disabilities. PageSpeed scores and accessibility are important factors for search engine rankings. PageSpeed scores may not match user experience and can vary substantially.
London, England, U.K.
The Francis Crick Institute is a long-established laboratory researching biomedicine and related topics. I enjoyed the website's tasteful appearance and use of high-quality images, but what really drew me in was the large selection of page links that covered a wide variety of the lab's research topics and study opportunities, along with on-site exhibitions and seminars.
While the website's professional-looking interface felt easy to navigate, I did think it would benefit from additional visual elements, such as videos or interactive content, to grab my attention and convey specific information in a more engaging manner.
The "About Us" section includes plenty of information on the lab's history, biomedical research ethos, and leadership team, which gave me a great overview of the company. According to WAVE, the website only has a few contrast errors, which in conjunction with my real-world experience, indicated optimal readability.
While the website features high-quality images, I think it lacks a certain visual flair which could be rectified with the inclusion of more engaging content, such as videos. According to Google's PageSpeed Insights test, both the mobile and desktop sites' accessibility scores could be improved upon.
The desktop website's spacious page layouts allowed me to easily read through the lab's various research topics, career opportunities, and science events. I also found the search bar to be a helpful addition, but that being said, the top menu bar was easy enough to navigate without the search functionality. On Google's PageSpeed Insights test, the website scored 86/100 in the performance category.
On mobile, I thought the website retained its clean and refined appeal, but the home page's hero image was pixelated on the smaller screen. As with the desktop, I could easily find specific information through both the hamburger menu and the search bar. Performance-wise, I found all pages to load fast on mobile, but its PageSpeed Insights score of 48/100 does not reflect our real-world tests.
https://newwavescientific.com/
Sparks, Nevada, U.S.
New Wave Scientific is an analytical testing laboratory that specializes in food safety, manufacturing, and agriculture. I enjoyed having easy access to the website's extensive testing services and its latest articles, which felt both informative and engaging. I also found the addition of a client portal to be useful for customers to easily access their account information.
Another notable feature was the company's prominent contact details and the inclusion of an interactive map for users wanting to visit the lab in person.
I appreciated the website's emphasis on usability with its accessibility statement and high contrast ratios across all pages. This was also indicated by the site's low error rate on WAVE. I also liked how the lab's industry accreditation section on the home page added credibility to the website.
I noticed that the website lacks client reviews or testimonials, which would be beneficial to inform potential customers of their past experience with the lab. I also thought that the site could include more striking visual elements, such as videos or slideshow images, to create a more engaging appeal.
I liked that the desktop site favored minimalistic design elements like neat page layouts and legible typography, because it made reading the content all that easier. Browsing felt smooth and I came across no specific hurdles, although I think a more comprehensive footer menu would be great so I don't have to scroll all the way back up to find specific information. Google's PageSpeed Insights test awarded the website an optimal performance score of 90/100.
The mobile version's home page swapped out the traditional hero image for an engaging tagline to draw clients in, but I think the inclusion of additional images would be beneficial to break up some of the text-heavy sections. I liked that the CTA buttons remained prominent on mobile, but some of the slimmed down content did not look as well-spaced as on the desktop. The website's performance had a decent score of 60/100 on Google's PageSpeed Insights test.
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Mila is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) institute made up of deep learning academic researchers that specialize in researching and developing machine translation and generative models. The website's geometric graphics and high-resolution images grabbed my attention, and I enjoyed how it accentuated the company's affinity for personable and tech-driven services.
I liked that the website's content covered a wide range of subjects, including the institute's research topics, student internships, and impact reports. A standout feature for me was the company's focus on responsible AI development, which is highlighted in the site's "AI4Humanity" section.
I enjoyed reading the website's "News" section, as it gave me a good overview of the company's work in global AI reform and policy development. The site's French language translation tool is a great addition for bilingual users. According to WAVE, the home page has no contrast errors, indicating optimal readability.
The website's contact details aren't displayed prominently and I think they should be added to the top menu bar for easy accessibility. I think the site would also benefit form the incorporation of additional images and videos to ensure a more striking visual appeal.
I thought that the website presented beautifully on desktop with lots of white space giving the images and content sections ample breathing room. The use of prominent CTA buttons funneled me to the site's various pages and allowed me to get a comprehensive overview of its research and industry insights. The site received a decent performance score of 85/100 on Google's PageSpeed Insights test.
On mobile, I could quickly and easily access vital information from the hamburger menu, but I thought that the company's contact details could be added to the menu for additional prominence. The website functions adequately with fast-loading pages and decent site navigation, but Google's PageSpeed Insights test gave the site a lower performance score of 55/100.
https://www6.slac.stanford.edu/
Menlo Park, California, U.S.
The SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is a Department of Energy lab operated by Stanford University. The lab focuses on a wide variety of research topics, including physics, advanced accelerators, and energy sciences. I liked the website's large hero video of the lab's aerial view, as it created a visual presence for the campus and its work.
I enjoyed reading up on the lab's mission and vision, research programs, scientific facilities, industry partnerships, and it gave me good insights into the work being done. A notable feature for me was that users can access the "Use our facilities" section to find out about visiting and using the lab's equipment.
I liked exploring the site's "About" section, which includes information on the lab's research ethos, leadership team, and public tours. WAVE picked up only a few contrast errors on the home page, which indicates good usability from the get-go.
I don't have any particular critiques for this website. accessScan notes that the website is only semi-compliant with assistive technologies, and according to Google's PageSpeed Insights test, the site's pages load quite slowly on both desktop and mobile.
I liked the desktop site's spacious content sections and ample images as it allowed me to easily read up on the lab and experience its campus. I also appreciated the intuitive horizontal scrolling panel for certain sections.
However, I did think that the company's social media links could be displayed slightly larger on desktop for increased user engagement. Our real-world tests indicated fast page loading times, reflected in its reasonable performance score of 62/100 on Google's PageSpeed Insights test.
I appreciated the mobile site's visual aesthetic and how the content slimmed down nicely without losing readability. However, the visual impact of the home page's hero image is lost on the smaller screen. Unlike the desktop version, the site does not have a back-to-top button. It also has a much lower performance score of 34/100 on Google's PageSpeed Insights test.
Queensland, Australia
Symbio Laboratories is an Australian-based company that specializes in commercial analytical testing services across a wide range of industries. I liked how the website used a strong color scheme to highlight specific sections, including the company's specialty services, recent case studies, and contact options.
I could easily explore the site's pages through the ample links in the top menu bar and the search icon. I also appreciated the "e-results" login portal for users to quickly access their tests through the website.
The website's FAQ section was a helpful addition and gave me additional information regarding the company's testing capabilities, customer service, and payment options. The online inquiry process felt intuitive and visitors would be able to easily connect with a team member.
WAVE noted a large number of insufficient contrast ratios across the website, indicating suboptimal readability across several pages. While I couldn't find much to dislike about the site, I did notice its lack of visually striking elements, such as videos and interactive content.
I liked the desktop site's refined page layouts and the ample white space ensured easy readability, although I think some contrast ratios could be improved for a smoother user experience. While the top menu bar contains vital info to easily connect with the company, it does not float as you scroll down. On Google's PageSpeed Insights test, the site was awarded a performance score of 90/100.
On mobile, most of the website's content and images are nicely condensed, but I found that the company logo overlapped with the hero image's text, impacting the overall visual appeal. However, I liked that important information remained visible in the top menu bar, and I felt that the site's fast page loading times contributed to a good user experience. The website's performance scored decently at 51/100 on Google's PageSpeed Insights test.
A laboratory website typically advertises a company, medical lab, research institute, or academic program and its various services, including testing, compliance, and product development. The website also features in-depth research articles, reports, and news sections covering the company's specific niche. A good example of a user-friendly and engaging laboratory website is SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.
You can use Zarla’s AI website builder to create and design a standout laboratory website template and update it free of charge for up to 30 days. Payment is only required once the website goes live.
A medical laboratory website should advertise its research programs and/or testing services in a visually engaging manner with optimal usability in mind. Visitors should also be able to easily find specific information, such as the lab's industry coverage, work processes, locations, and contact options. The Francis Crick Institute is a great example of a medical lab website that combines functionality with aesthetics to create an enhanced user experience.
