Recently, labs have turned to full digitization with the intention of enhancing their ability to track everything, from samples to consumables. Thus, the use of laboratory information management systems (LIMS) has exploded, first in industrial labs due to their need for stringent record keeping, but also in academic labs, which have often been plagued by a reproducibility crisis throughout the last decade. Here are several features that are essential to any modern LIMS in order to ensure human errors are minimized and lab results are as consistent and accurate as possible. Robust inventory a ..read more

Recently, a news article on optimizing lab protocols described how several researchers at the University of Montreal decided to devise a new strategy for culturing cortical neurons.1 This article brings to light the ongoing drive of scientists to constantly improve and optimize their protocols; to wit, scientific papers have been published detailing the needs of researchers when optimizing protocols, highlighting cost-effective and robust procedures based on validated models.2 Though some of these models are intricately complex, certain broader themes can help scientists enhance the accuracy ..read more

Ultra-low temperature storage is a staple of laboratory life. Nearly every scientist leans on safe and protected long-term sample storage afforded by lab freezers, typically set to either -20°C, -80°C, or -196°C. With such a wide variety of sample types, from DNA and RNA samples to protein samples, cell lysates, and unicellular isolates, no one has truly determined optimal conditions for low temperature storage. Instead, many use -80°C as the standard as it has been demonstrated to be an effective storage temperature. However, some have recently begun questioning whether -70°C sample storage ..read more

Maintaining research integrity is a serious issue in the field of scientific research, especially when it comes to academic research. Funded by taxpayers, there is an inherent assumption that the science published using government-awarded funds and grants should be honest and trustworthy. However, as acclaim and future funding are often given to those with the most significant discoveries, making it enticing to some to misrepresent or outright falsify data and plagiarize studies to bolster publications. Unfortunately, breaches of research integrity occur far too often; in a 2021 meta-analysis ..read more

Shipping samples is a necessary process for many laboratory facilities across the world. While some ship samples more than others, specific key SOPs should remain in place to ensure the safety of those receiving the package and those responsible for handling it from its origin to its final destination. Here are several tips to provide maximum security for your staff and samples, from point A to point B. Use leakproof containers When preparing samples to ship, it’s always worth considering the type of containers that will house them during transit. Smaller containers are usually less liable t ..read more

Freezer maintenance is one of the most critical aspects of laboratory management, with so much riding on the various samples stored for long periods in deep-freeze and cryogenic conditions. Here are several tips for managing your lab’s ultra-low temperature freezers and keeping them in working condition, along with the valuable cell extracts, cell lines, tissue specimens, and other types of samples they may harbor. Continually remove ice buildup Regularly defrost freezers to avoid ice buildup from forming. Not only does ice and frost accumulation minimize the storage space available in the fr ..read more

It is possible that, when initiating a new laboratory application or SOP, current methods of sample identification do not meet the new requirements of the technique. At this point, a custom label may be necessary to address these potentially stringent conditions adequately. Here are several key things to look for when searching for a provider of custom labels, all of which can ultimately decide how effectively samples are tracked throughout the new workflow. Address specific laboratory needs The search for a custom label will usually arise because there is a specific need within a given workf ..read more

Once an appropriate type of label is chosen, it’s important to perform the proper setup procedures. To do this, label templates, customized to the specific dimensions of the label, are required. Here are several tips for creating and implementing label templates to print your labels consistently and accurately from workflow to workflow. Know your label dimensions Labels come in all shapes and sizes. When devising templates for your labels, this information must be correctly inputted, regardless of which app is employed for generating labels. Using the wrong dimensions will skew the proportion ..read more

Histology is a necessary element of medical and research laboratories. Physicians rely on histochemical staining analysis to confirm diagnoses and provide patients with prognostic information, while research labs employ histochemistry for the analysis of samples from both patients and model organisms. As such, accurate and consistent identification of all components used throughout histochemistry workflows, including cassettes, is critical, as mix-ups can result in loss of patient tissues, misdiagnosis, and high risk for patient harm. Here are several tips for ensuring these embedding tissue ..read more

Flow cytometry and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) represent essential techniques among immunologists and many other biologists. With the ability to quickly analyze and sort fluorescently-tagged cells, it is a mainstay for researchers and medical scientists. Here are several tips to help prepare and store flow cytometry/FACS samples that will help mitigate errors and increase consistency during the assay and before it has even begun. Collect and store samples appropriately Collection and storage protocols will differ based on the types of cells being assayed, but the principle rema ..read more