It is common place for labs who deal with low copy number DNA (usually aDNA and forensic labs) to physically isolate pre and post PCR areas. A single PCR will generate approximately 10,000,000,000,000 identical copies of the from a single starting copy of a DNA target. The majority of samples used in aDNA analyses are highly degraded and can contain little or no DNA. The potential to contaminate an ancient sample (or lab) with previously amplified DNA is very high and since the starting copy number is low it can be very problematic. Moreover, PCR carryover is very difficult to discriminate from authentic DNA as they will have a very similar genetic make-up.
The obvious solution to PCR carryover is to isolate pre and post PCR areas - and minimise/eliminate movement from a post-PCR lab into the pre-PCR environment (or clean room). Nearly all reputable ancient DNA labs comprise of a cleanroom (for DNA extractions, sample storage and PCR set-up) and a Post-PCR lab (for analysis of PCR products). The murdoch aDNA lab is no exception - a description of both the clean room and the post-PCR lab can be found below.