Lab Research Site

I’m making a lab site for my professor. Most lab sites look pretty horrendous so I want this to look good. I’m going for a sleek, but professional look, that isn’t too dry.

Tell me what you think of the colors, layout, and readability. Does it look like a site you would trust getting information from? Also, which is better, brown or blue (choose at the top). I like the brown pallet but it might be a bit dry.

http://ieng9.ucsd.edu/~tetler/lab/index.php