Microbial and Germ research. Seriously though.

[The Plum Gate]

Add a 5th research type that uses germs, microbes etc to the research requirements. This would mend the gaps in logic we have with the current research requirements. 

We're already do this with dirt and water. Maybe the basic research stations should use some other materials, such as raw minerals that are soft, ie sedimentary rock, and so on.

Dirt, polluted dirt, mud or polluted mud could be used at the micro-biological or germ research station.

This would open up some of the line-of-logics that make sense for distillation, filtering, germ detectors, radiological germ detectors, compost heap, ( other transformational processes, as titled for food repurposing ), etc.

This is a gap research filler for later tech.

Anything I missed, just toss it below.

[Sasza22]

The other 2 new reserah stations have specific requirements. One requires radiation and the other space travel. While i like the idea for a third it also needs a special requirement. Germs are pretty easy to get so maybe they should have some sort of modifier so that food poisoning can get research done but slowly, slimelung progresses it faster and zombie spores super fast (as long as the researcher doesn`t get infected) meanwhile floral scent and radiation contaminants don`t allow research at all.

[pether]

Yeah, doctors should be able to gather germ samples from germy water/air and then produce medical research out of them in some big, oni-style microscope-like building.

You must use this building with caution, as duplicants will rush to germy places to get the samples and they might get exposed to germs if you didn't provide any protection to them. Also, to be effective, duplicants will prefer higher tier germs if they are within range.

OR...

Microbiology lab could require no resources, but then it can run only in germ-exposed areas. 

[The Plum Gate]

There could be generic germs as well. I.e. microbes, harmless or helpful.

Biological additives that can precipitate polluted dirt from polluted water. 

I like the idea of friendly microbes, as in the distillation of ethanol... There could be others here as well.