tuning-up lab instrument service (p. 19) the confusion...
TRANSCRIPT
LabManagerWhere Science and Management Meet™
Managing a Core Imaging FacilityTuning-Up Lab Instrument Service
The Confusion Around COTSSelling Your Ideas to Management
™MAGAZINE
INSID
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October • November 2006 Volume 1 • Number 4
A VICON PUBLICATION
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contents
departmentsfeatures
LabManagerWhere Science and Management Meet™
™MAGAZINE
35 THE SAFETY GUYSChemical Safety in the Laboratory -Part 2Glenn Ketcham, CIH and Vince McLeod, CIH
44 LAB DIAGNOSISSeeing Red: How to Compensatefor Color Vision Confusion inMicroscopyBryan R. Bandli
49 CAREER NOTEBOOKDon't Let Procrastination Hold YouBack at Work Eugene Raudsepp
55 HUMAN FACTORSSelling Your Ideas to ManagementJohn K. Borchardt
58 THE INTERVIEWLauren McNew, LaboratoryManager, Accugenix, Inc.F. Key Kidder
8 Upfront
32 Lab Agenda
38 Product News
43 How It Works
48 News Notes
56 Lab Bratz®
56 Advertiser Index
LabManager labmgr.com4
Lab Manager Magazine® (ISSN:1931-3810) is published five times a year by Vicon Publishing, Inc., 4Limbo Lane, Amherst, NH 03031. Postage paid at Fulton, MO 65251. Permit #38. A requester publica-tion, Lab Manager™ is distributed to qualified subscribers. Non-qualified subscription rates in the U.Sand Canada: $120 per year. All other countries: $180 per year, payable in U.S. funds. Back issues maybe purchased at a cost of $15 each in the U.S. and $20 elsewhere. While every attempt is made toensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its employees cannot acceptresponsibility for the correctness of information supplied, advertisements or opinions expressed. POST-MASTER: Send address changes to Lab Manager Magazine® , 4 Limbo Lane, Amherst, NH 03031.
©2006 Lab Manager Magazine® by Vicon Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publica-tion may be reproduced without permission from the publisher. Permission is granted for those registeredwith the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923 (phone:978-750-8400; fax: 978-750-4470) to photocopy articles for a base fee of $1 per copy of the articleplus $.35 per page.
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cover image Mineral Grain Micrograph (see related article “Seeing Red”)Image courtesy of MVA Scientific Consultantswww.mvainc.com.
11 ISSUES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF A COREIMAGING FACILITYThe most important aspect of a multi-user core facility isthat the data generated are accurate and useful for thegoals of the researchers.Judy Trogadis
19 TUNING-UP LAB INSTRUMENT SERVICE Selecting the optimal instrument service model meansfinding the right balance between cost, risk, and quality.Mike Brown
24THE CONFUSION AROUND COTSIf a vendor claims to provide a COTS solution, whatshould a buyer expect? Better still, what should a buyerdemand?Richard Wagner
29RELIABILITY ENGINEERS USE ENVIRONMENTALTESTING LABSReliability means reducing surprises and failure. Testingfor weaknesses can include freezing, heating, dropping,and more. Wayne Tustin
OCTOBER NOVEMBER 2006
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EDITORIALPATRICE GALVIN - Editor In Chief • [email protected] | 603-672-9997, x112
BARBARA VANRENTERGHEM, Ph.D. - Science Editor • [email protected]
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CHRISTINE JANSON - Editor • [email protected] | 603-672-9997, x105
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARDMICHAEL BROWNSTEIN, Ph.D., MD • J. Craig Venter Institute
WAYNE COLLINS, Ph.D. • Thermo Electron Corporation
LYN FAAS • Consultant, Past-President of ALMA
GLENN KETCHAM, CIH • University of Florida
MARY KEVILLE • Massachusetts Biologic Laboratories
VINCE MCLEOD, CIH • University of Florida
JOHN L. TONKINSON, Ph.D. • Epitome Systems, Inc.
ANDY ZAAYENGA • The Laboratory Robotics Interest Group
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6 LabManager labmgr.com
Author GuidelinesLab Manager Magazine is aprinted publication of resources,products, and information fortoday’s laboratory manager.Articles should address someaspect of laboratory manage-ment from the perspective of aprofessional who is both a scien-tist and a manager. Topics areaswould include: managing budg-ets, personnel, technology, infor-mation, funding, training, safety,risk, expansion, building or reno-vation, among others related tothe role of a lab manager.
The article review processshould begin with a query by e-mail or phone followed by abrief abstract or outline. Pleasestate your topic and objective,and indicate your perspective aswell as your professional rela-tionship to the topic. Contentmust be unbiased and cannotpromote a particular product orcompany. Article length mayrange from 1500-2500 words.All manuscripts must be submit-ted electronically by email ordisk.
To submit an article
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Lab Manager Magazine
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upfront
The Truth about Quitting You think it would be for more money. Or maybe better benefits. Or to shorten a commute and becloser to home. Or you might think it had to do with an opportunity that offered new challenges orcareer advancement. While all these possibilities are reasons people change jobs, in actuality, mostpeople quit because of poor management.
According to Leigh Branham, author of The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave: How toRecognize the Subtle Signs and Act Before It's Too Late, “More than 85% of managers believe employ-ees leave because they have been pulled away by ‘more pay’ or ‘better opportunity.’ Yet, more than80% of employees say it was ‘push’ factors related to poor management practices or toxic culturesthat drove them out.”
The Herman Group (www.hermangroup.com) concurs. Their “Five Principal Reasons PeopleChange Jobs” says that employees leave because:
1. It doesn't feel good around here. (related to corporate culture) 2. They wouldn't miss me if I were gone. (lack of appreciation)3. I don't get the support I need to get my job done. (on-the-job frustrations such as red tape
and incompetent supervisors)4. There's no opportunity for advancement. (this includes opportunities for learning as well as
promotions)5. Compensation is the last reason people most leave. (it’s not always about the money)
That’s the bad news. The good news is that your management choices could be a key factor inwhy employees stay. Assessing the “quality of life” in the lab is a good place to begin.
What I see when I look at the list of five reasons people leave are five clues on how to retainstaff. Starting with the first one, make your lab a good place to work. Think about the corporatemission, safety, overall environment, and other factors that give the lab its “feel.” Second, find waysboth formally and informally for employee recognition. Make it clear that good work will be recog-nized and appreciated. Third, ensure that your lab and personnel have the tools to do the tasksassigned. See that your staff has what they need in terms of equipment, knowledge, and otherresources to perform competently and in a timely manner. Fourth, look for learning opportunities —courses, conferences, online training, and other ways to keep skills current. In addition to externallearning, encourage cross-training when possible so people feel that they are learning somethingnew as well as becoming more valuable to the company. Fifth, when a there’s an employee youwould hate to see leave, advocate on their behalf if a raise, more vacation time, or other benefit isavailable to them.
“Show me the money” is really not the mantra of staff retention. In work as in life, it’s the littlethings, such as courtesy, respect, appreciation, and career development that keep employees loyaland maybe not happy but at least content with their jobs.
While your staff probably won’t be sporting “I ♥ my boss” t-shirts (recently on eBay for $5.50in pink, white, and blue), it might be worthwhile considering how they view life in the lab. Ask fortheir feedback. Create an atmosphere where they, and you, want to work.
Patrice Galvin
LabManager labmgr.com8
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ISSUES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ACore Imaging Facility
managing shared resources
THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF A MULTI-USER CORE FACILITY IS THAT THEDATA GENERATED ARE ACCURATE AND USEFUL FOR THE GOALS OF THE
RESEARCHERS.
A successful core facility relies on a combination of knowledgeable staff that understand techno-logical advances, have the ability to educate and inform users, and have a workable system ofoffering a service.1
Over the last few years, new innovations in specimen labeling, coupled with an increasedsensitivity of detection leading to molecular imaging and analysis, has resulted in an increasedinterest in microscopy and to a proliferation of imaging facilities. The arrival of a user with theirprecious sample is often the culmination of many hours of research, for example, optimizingimmunostaining protocols, transfecting cells with fluorescent tags, or anticipating changes in livecell behavior following treatment with a compound of interest. A novice will need advice onhow best to capture useful, relevant data and tell a story with pictures to ensure the message isclearly understood. There is always more than a single way of doing things and in microscopy, asin art, creativity is rewarded. An effective manager of such a facility must be available to facilitatethe optimal use of its resources.2
EQUIPMENT AND MAINTENANCEHardwareWalking into a typical imaging facility, a visitor will find some basic pieces of equipment, eachconnected to a computer and image capture device, as in the partial list shown in Table 1. In aninstitution where microscopy is a priority and ample funding is available, additional equipmentwill include duplicate systems and fully accessorized high-end models that can add to the cost.One can also find some highly specialized systems that carry out limited functions at exceptional-ly complex and accurate levels.
A collection of such equipment requires maintenance, and thus, the operational costs of animaging facility are considerable. The major expense is the maintenance contract on the largersystems. The risk is too high to operate without such support, since the repair cost of a singlemajor breakdown can exceed the cost of a yearly service contract. Several cost-saving modelsexist;3 some institutions arrange group service contracts from a single provider. However, in ourfacility, our complex and highly specialized instruments have never qualified for this type of grouparrangement.
A capable manager can carry out several preventative measures to extend the life of theequipment or repair some breakdowns. Long-term benefits can result from being present at thetime of installation of new equipment to observe and ask the company representative basic ques-tions, such as how do you gain access to replacement parts and how do you achieve optimumoptical alignment? While the scanning parts of microscopes are too complex for routine mainte-nance by the facility manager, the microscopes themselves, the condensers, and lenses have to becleaned and light sources require regular alignment. Users are encouraged to report problems assoon as they are apparent, before they escalate into a major breakdown.
SoftwareIn the age of digital imaging, all equipment comes with its own software, each with a different
Judy Trogadis
All imaging facilitiesshould have established
rules of operation clearly implemented,
as expected within any shared facility.
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level of complexity. Some will collect images very easily butmay not do extensive image analysis; others only carry outpost-collection processing and quantification. In a typicalimaging facility, there should be at least one dedicated imageprocessing computer workstation that has several softwarepackages installed. Many data collection systems have an off-line version of their software package and this is a practicalsolution to avoid tying up the microscope with lengthy analy-sis. It is not within the scope of this article to evaluate variouscommercial software products, except to mention that it isdifficult to find a single software package that contains all thefunctionalities required to carry out novel image analysis.
A manager should be familiar with the software programsoffered in their facility and be able to recommend one toanswer a specific question. There are a few recognized soft-ware programs, such as Adobe Photoshop; however, a usermust be cautious in using it because any image processingprior to subsequent quantification will irreversibly alter thecontent of the data. Free software is available on the internetand can be sufficient to carry out many tasks. For example,Irfanview (www.irfanview.com) is an excellent browser to
quickly scan directories to find a particular image and willconvert formats. ImageJ (http://rsb.info.nih.gov/ij), softwaredeveloped at the NIH on a Java platform, has resulted in sci-entists worldwide posting new plugins for different analysesthat are available for download.
Generally, service contracts do not cover the computer;therefore, users should organize their data properly, storeimages at an appropriate location on the computer, andremove files at regular intervals. Since surprisingly largeamounts of data can be collected within a relatively shortperiod of time, it is not unreasonable to specify a maximumstorage space for each user on the hard drive and a time limit(e.g., 60 days), before data is removed from a shared comput-er. The most common backup medium is on a CD, preferablyin duplicate, or on DVD, also in duplicate, although morecomplex systems exist. A USB key is unreliable as a storagedevice but can be used to move data from one computer toanother. In institutions where the network has been config-ured to allow the transfer of large amounts of data betweencomputers, microscope users should include this step as part oftheir logoff procedure.
Table 1: Partial list of some basic equipment for an imaging facility.
EQUIPMENT ACCESSORIESTransmission electron microscope . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cryostage, field emission
Scanning electron microscope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cryostage, environmental microscope
Widefield upright microscope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Water immersion lenses
Widefield inverted microscope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Environmental controls for live cell imaging
Laser scanning confocal microscope . . . . . . . . . . .Multiple lasers, including UV spectral separation
Spinning disc confocal microscope . . . . . . . . . . . .Advanced light source, back-thinned EM CCD camera
Multi-photon confocal microscope . . . . . . . . . . . . .Modern laser
Live-cell accessorized microscope . . . . . . . . . . . . .XYZ stage, sensitive CCD camera, incubator, gasand temperature regulators
TIRF system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Camera with high spatial, temporal resolution, optimal objectives
Laser microdissection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(none)
Software for image analysis and processing . . . . .Computer with fast processor, added RAMvolume rendering, 3D quantification, deconvolution
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RULES AND REGULATIONSAll imaging facilities should have established rules of opera-tion clearly implemented, as expected within any shared facili-ty. The equipment is expensive, the operational learning curvecan be steep, and since there are many settings on any micro-scope to obtain an image, once users learn to get optimal datafrom properly (and optimally) operating equipment, theyshould not expect less.
Guidelines are not merely instructions for using equip-ment, they also address safety issues. By the time a sample isbrought into the imaging facility, it should no longer have thesame degree of hazard associated with it as it had during thepreparation. In other words, emphasis is now on maintaining asafe environment for others using the shared equipment.Gloves should not be worn when using a computer keyboardor focusing a microscope, contamination should not be a con-cern for the next user. A microscope stage should not haveany residue on it after someone has finished using it, and bothslides and outside surfaces of samples should be clean and dry.It is a definite advantage for a manager to be familiar with his-tochemical techniques to provide advice on different slidepreparation procedures.
New UsersIn our facility, I arrange to meet new users to discuss their proj-ect and decide which of the various imaging modalities wouldbest suit their needs. Even for a task as simple as viewing fluo-rescent images, the possible wavelengths of the fluorescentlylabeled specimen have to be determined in order to match theavailable detection systems, filters, lasers, etc. If a study entailslive-cell imaging, the person doing the work is given an expla-nation of the necessary conditions required for keeping cellsalive and are shown the additional equipment we have forachieving this goal. This may include a stage/objective heater,gas regulators, an enclosed stage incubator, and humidity con-trol.
After the initial meeting the user fills out a form contain-ing information about their laboratory, grants that support thestudy, and the anticipated level of usage. If heavy use isexpected, a brief description of the project is included to beapproved for merit prior to proceeding. The form also includesthe specific microscopy experience of all individuals from thesame laboratory who would be using the equipment. In thisway, all users will be identified and their levels of expertisedetermined for training sessions. In return, a user is suppliedwith the rules of operation such as the fee schedule, howbooking is done, appointments made or broken, and rules ofdata handling on shared computers. During the first trainingsession, everyone is given their own password-protected useraccount on each computer with the lowest level of permissionrequired by the software to operate properly.
The amount of training is determined by the complexity
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of the instrument and a user’s microscope experience.Personally, I prefer individuals or a small group of 2–3 peo-ple and instruction with a user’s own preparation willmake the session more stimulating and will encouragequestions. During the optimization of settings, the impor-tant message is underlined that a clear question will deter-mine the magnification, choice of area, and compositionof an image. A training session should touch on basic prin-ciples of imaging, microscope alignment, and principles ofconfocal microscopy. If the initial training is thorough andusers feel comfortable with the controls, they will feel as ifwe are working with them on the project and are morelikely to ask for help when things are not working asplanned. Periodically, we may look through the imagestogether and re-visit their initial project goals.
Final image analysis and possible quantification arealso discussed and should be done soon after the beginningof image collection. It is essential to analyze preliminarydata because one may find that settings, resolution, andcontrast are not adequate and have to be modified beforeproceeding.
Ultimately, a manager should be assured that a user iscomfortable with the equipment, treats it with respect, andwill get useful data. Even if they have used similar equip-
ment in the past, manufacturers and models use differentprocedures, and therefore, all new users should attend atleast one instruction session before working independently.It is helpful if a brief set of instructions is displayed at eachmicroscope and should contain essential information suchas sequence of turning machine on/off, initialization steps,and folders to open to get started.
SchedulingA system needs to be in place to schedule time on the var-ious microscope systems. The simplest method is to have aschedule book or calendar at each work station whereusers can book times, and at the end of a session, hours ofuse are written into a log book. Although this process canwork reasonably well, there are more precise and accuratemethods, especially for users who are not located physical-ly within an institution. Web-based calendars are nowcommonly used and have several advantages. From a user’spoint-of-view, they can schedule time from their own workareas, and should a problem arise, can promptly canceltheir appointment. Electronic scheduling can instantlyprovide a manager with the overall level of activity in thefacility, and furthermore, most software can producereports for billing purposes and can be used to identify
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Table 2. Microscopy listservs and websites
Microscopy Listservs Web siteConfocal microscopy ......................http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocalGeneral microscopy ........................http://www.microscopy.comImage J software ............................http://rsb.info.nih.gov/ij/list.html
Microscopy education Web siteMicroscopy, Imaging Resources........http://swehsc.pharmacy.arizona.edu/exppath/microMicroscopy Primer ..........................http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/anatomy/
imageformationhome.htmlImaging Technology ........................http://www.microscopyu.com/Microscopy Resource Center ............http://www.olympusmicro.com/primer/Useful Microscopy Links ..................http://www.ludwig.edu.au/confocal/Links.htmlJ. Paul Robinson..............................http://www.cyto.purdue.edu/flowcyt/educate/pptslide.htm
Microscopy courses Web siteWoods Hole Marine Biological ........http://www.mbl.eduCold Spring Harbor ........................http://www.cshl.eduUBC 3D Live Cell Imaging ..............http://www.3dcourse.ubc.ca/index.htm
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inexperienced users who may have operated the equipmentinappropriately.
Generally, scheduling software has a separate calendarfor each piece of equipment and can be configured accord-ing to the established rules. Contiguous hours of use can belimited, maximum hours per week per person can bedefined, and cancellations at the start time or soon after canbe denied. Scheduling software may be written or modifiedfrom existing programs by in-house programmers. Severalfree scheduling programs can be found on-line and standardcommercial software used by many imaging facilities iscalled “Calcium” (www.brownbearsoftware.com).
Of course, if equipment is immediately available, peoplewill use it without prior booking and a system is needed tomonitor use at each workstation. The simplest system, anhonor system where entries are made in a book, is notalways the most efficient, and a better method is to installmonitoring software. Since this is difficult to find, I use asimple macro that, as it launches the microscope program,records the name of the user, date, and times of both startand end. This solution may be difficult to implement if asingle executable program and its location cannot be clearlyidentified.
User feesOperational costs of an imaging facility are high and admin-istrators encourage cost recovery in the form of user fees.Useful discussions on this topic can be found in theArchives of the Confocal Listserv (see Table 2). Since com-plete cost recovery is not possible primarily because of steepmaintenance contracts, the debate continues on how muchrevenue should user fees generate. Fees for using equipmentare inevitable in most institutions; however, they should notbe at a level that discriminates against those with modestfunding.
It must be appreciated, however, that core facilitiescontaining technologically complex equipment require longrange plans and financial support to remain competitive, todevelop new techniques, to upgrade the instrumentation tothe highest performance, and to invest in education. A sci-entist cannot fully explore novel methods that require timeto validate if the results will be based on cost rather than onoutcome.4
Fees are often posted on facility web sites and are givento new users. The initial training fee, which may include amicroscope tutorial, is higher than the unassisted hourlyrate, and those from other institutions and/or non-academicusers could also pay more. A database can keep track ofusers, their supervisors, grant information, hours of use, andcan generate bills at regular intervals.
A MANAGER’S CONTINUING EDUCATIONMany managers of imaging facilities are hired not because oftheir managerial training and abilities but because of theirscientific background and expertise in the field ofmicroscopy. However, to be effective in that position, atechnically trained person also requires interpersonal com-munications skills while focusing on people, the users of thefacility. Our role is further extended by helping researchersanswer their biological, genetic, and biochemical questionsusing some form of optical microscopy and some novel tech-niques. The field of imaging is constantly changing and weshould remain up-to-date with current techniques to makethe scientists competitive in writing papers, getting grants,etc. There are several easy ways to achieve this.
It is simple to subscribe electronically to the TOCs(Tables of Contents) of a few journals and skim through thetitles for new articles on imaging. It is also easy to subscribeto some listservs and listen to interesting discussions fromthe scientific community as well as vendors and to partici-pate in the threads. Their archives are easily searchable fortopics. Additionally, there are some excellent microscopytutorial web sites. The most useful ones are listed in Table 2.
I file potentially useful emails from the listservs into dif-ferent folders on my computer for use in the future. Thus,when asked a question, I may not know the answer immedi-ately, but have built a resource to look for answers. Stayingknowledgeable attracts users and makes our work moreinteresting.
EXTERNAL RESOURCESAn imaging facility’s operation can be greatly enhanced byresources from other departments within an institution. Dueto the nature of our work, an electronics or biomedical engi-neering department can provide a service. Unfortunately,they are often reluctant advisors because at times they donot understand the problems, they may fear warranty issues,or they are just too busy to make an open-ended service call.Nevertheless, they can help troubleshoot connections, pro-vide generic parts, fuses, cables, tools, and help build someelectronic devices, such as monitoring systems. At timesthey actually welcome the challenge of non-routine ques-tions.
An Information Technology (IT) department is also anessential adjunct to an imaging facility. Internet access,transfer of files to remote sites, and advice on operating sys-tems should all be within their capabilities even thoughmost departments will not support the complex imagingsoftware used in many facilities. IT staff generally do notview imaging workstations as friends because in many insti-tutions, especially in hospitals where confidentiality issuesand internet hacking are large concerns, computers may be
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absorbed into a limited-access environment where users loseadministrative rights that result in software not operatingproperly. This can become a heated issue and has to beresolved at each institution.
The public relations department can be an ally by pro-moting the establishment and maintenance of a website.Some of the topics could include the history of the facility,naming any benefactor, description, and photos of theequipment, instructional documents, an image gallery, thescheduling software, forms for new users, fee schedule, etc.This public display is very beneficial, raising the profile of afacility, even of the institution. The visually pleasing natureof microscopy can create an eye-catching design very easily.
Finally, most core imaging facilities are under the super-vision of a scientist or a committee with members who rep-resent both scientists and administration. This upper levelof management fulfills a useful function, such as a periodicreview of policies, approval of long-term studies that antici-pate extensive utilization of the facility’s resources, and actas general scientific advisors for ongoing projects.
REFERENCES:1. DeMaggio, S. “Running and setting up a microscope core
facility.” Meth. Cell Biology 70 (2002): 475–485.2. Allen, K. “The three E’s in a cytometry core facility:
Education, education, education.” XXII Intl. Soc. ForAnalytical Cytology International Congress, Abstracts;Cytometry 59A (2004): 157.
3. Collins, LW. “Managing Laboratory Maintenance.”American Laboratory, February (2006): 20–23.
4. Angeletti, RH, Bonewald, LF, DeJongh, K, Niece, R, Rush, J,Stults, J. “Research Technologies: Fulfilling the promise.”FASEB J. 13 (1999): 595–601.
Judy Trogadis is the Bio-Imaging Coordinator at St. Michael'sHospital, 7 Queen, 30 Bond St., Toronto, ON M5B 1W8,Canada; 416-864-6060, x6337;[email protected].
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Tuning-up Lab Instrument Service
managing equipment
SELECTING THE OPTIMAL INSTRUMENT SERVICE MODEL MEANS FINDINGTHE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN COST, RISK, AND QUALITY.
Just as instrument technology is evolving to meet the changing needs of laboratories every-where, so are the dynamics of instrument maintenance as lab managers seek the optimal bal-ance of risk, quality, and costs. In recent years, four instrument service models have risen toprominence and a fifth, a blend of each has emerged:
• In-house Metrology Model• Service Consolidator Model• Independent Service Provider Model• Original Equipment Manufacturer Service Model• Integrated Service Delivery Model
Each of these choices offers advantages and drawbacks, and a clear understanding ofhow they relate to a particular lab or network of labs is vital to achieving optimal results.
Every experienced lab manager knows the considerable amount of time required toselect and manage contracts for repair, maintenance, calibration, and compliance service forkey equipment. Also, instrument maintenance ranks right up there with personnel costsamong the biggest budget items for most labs. While commercial labs are facing increasingpressure to control these costs, service requirements must be assessed holistically — lookingbeyond the asset list to critical factors such as position in process and how each instrument’sdowntime affects lab productivity.
Each laboratory’s requirements can vary due to factors such as past procurement poli-cies, management changes, and how much effort has already been devoted to fine-tuning itsinstrument service program.
Imagine this scenario: You manage a lab that has ten liquid chromatography systems,two LC/MS systems and a full complement of ancillary equipment such as pH meters, cen-trifuges, and micro pipettes to support your staff of three analysts. You’re the third managerof this lab in ten years and, as it grew, the equipment vendor choice changed with eachmanager. In mid-year it’s smooth sailing. When it’s time to renew contracts, however, yourpersonal productivity comes to a grinding halt as budgeting and negotiating contracts foreach type of equipment dominate your work life.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Most labs employ a wide variety of analyticaltechniques (LC, GC, LC/MS, NMR, etc.) from several vendors. Therefore, it’s not uncom-mon for lab managers to spend a large amount of time directly working on contracts orworking with procurement teams to secure service coverage for mission-critical systems.Factors such as technology type, maturity, and the role each instrument plays in the work-flow will help point you to the service model that will provide the best cost/benefit ratio.
IN-HOUSE METROLOGY MODELMany organizations have their own teams of engineers to service their mainstream instru-
Mike Brown
It’s not uncommonfor lab managers to
spend a large amount oftime directly working on
contracts or working withprocurement teams to
secure servicecoverage for
mission-criticalsystems.
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mentation. This in-house metrology model often offersfast response because the engineers are usually on-site.Another benefit of this approach can be quality: serviceengineers are often trained by the original equipmentmanufacturers (OEMs) under ‘shared care’ programswhich provide training and certificates suitable for auditpurposes. In many cases, shared care programs also providein-house engineers with service notes or special trainingtopics to help keep them current. While most in-housemetrology teams are focused on scheduled, periodic taskssuch as preventive maintenance or calibration, some alsorepair instruments. While in-house servicing reduces theneed for OEM seervice contracts and associated costs, labmanagers also need to consider the real cost of the in-house metrology group which can be larger than expected.
Depending on the responsibilities and scope of an in-house service team, the fully weighted cost of a headcountmust be weighed against the costs of other instrumentservice models. Many companies find that outsourcinginstrument service is the most economical approach whenthe costs of staffing, training, infrastructure, and partsinventory are considered. The bottom line: does the rapidresponse of an in-house team outweigh the costs and therisk burden? The organization must also consider whetherinstrument service fits within its area of core expertise.
SERVICE CONSOLIDATOR MODELThe Service Consolidator model is often employed bylarger labs or whole sites. You may hear this called theservice aggregatore model or the service insurance model,as it’s based on actuary tables compiled by these serviceorganizations to guide contract purchases. Often thefavorite service model of procurement organizations, theService Consolidator model generally reduces service con-tract spending by 15-25% compared to other models.They do this by assessing the customers asset list againstinsurance-like actuary tables. By considering the annualfailure rate and repair costs for each piece of instrumenta-tion, the consolidator is able to plan a service program forthe site that selectively chooses OEM service contracts forsome instruments while calculating the risk of paying fortime and materials coverage on others. By reducing theprice of the service program, the Service ConsolidatorModel focuses predominantly on the cost variable in theinstrument service value equation.
There can be tradeoffs, however, in terms of risk,quality, and convenience. Although, service consolidatorsprovide a single point of contact for service-related issues,they typically do not offer any direct instrument servicethemselves. When a service event is reported to the con-solidator, the laboratory must get approval from the con-solidator to get a quote from the OEM or other third partyfor service. Once the quote is received and provided to
the consolidator, the repair must be approved before thelab can schedule a service engineer to visit. Upon comple-tion of the service event, the consolidator reconcilesinvoices and can reject those deemed outside the scope ofthe repair. While the reduction in service spending isattractive to procurement departments, the service processunder the consolidator service model can be costly to labmanagers in terms of lost productivity. Managers are moreinvolved in service events, often interfacing between theOEM and the consolidator, and must typically do initialtriage themselves before escorting an OEM engineer intotheir lab. In the event that repair is required on a piece ofinstrumentation on which the consolidator did not take aservice contract, the impact on lab productivity can bemajor. OEMs typically offer priority response only to con-tract customers, so if repairs are required on a time andmaterials basis, labs may expect delays in dispatching serv-ice engineers to the site. This is a recipe for tensionbetween the laboratory, the consolidator, and the originalequipment manufacturer.
INDEPENDENT SERVICE ORGANIZATIONMODELThe Indepent Service Organization (ISO) model is basedon service delivery through regional organizations thatoffer support services for a variety of instrumentation, usu-ally within a limited distance from their corporate office.The greatest attraction to the ISO model is price, usuallythe lowest of the service model options. ISOs tend to besmall businesses, able to offer lower-priced service becausethey don’t carry the overhead of larger companies. Inaddition, because ISOs are usually operated and staffed byengineers formerly employed by a variety of OEMs, theyoften can service more than one vendor’s instruments ortechnology. This helps lab and procurement managersreduce the number of service agreements they deal withby consolidating services with the ISO.
This scenario tends to work best with relativelymature, mainstream HPLC and GC instrumentation.Finding an ISO to service more complex instrumentationlike the LC/MS or any custom instrumentation is morechallenging.
There are other tradeoffs with the ISO model. First,there can be more risk when it comes to quality becauseISOs do not have factory support for instrument repair,maintenance, or compliance. While many ISO engineersare factory trained, this ended when they left their OEMjobs. Some equipment manufactures are even consideringlimiting certification to the period an engineer is directlyemployed by them. The rationale is that only whileemployed by the OEM does an engineer receive servicenotes, bug fixes, and new product skills training. This canbe critical, especially in a regulated environement.
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Another area that deserves scrutiny is services developeddirectly by each ISO. The degree to which each ISO fol-lows stringent standards varies, so labs are well-served byconducting due diligence in this area. Lastly, due to theirsize, ISOs are often not a viable solution when servicestandarization is required across labs at different sites,states, or countries. Just as size can be an asset when itcomes to holding costs down, it can also be a liabilitywhen harmonization is needed across multiple locations.
OEM SERVICE MODELHaving each key instrument serviced by its manufacturerfalls at the high quality/low risk end of the service modelspectrum. It also falls at the high cost/high administrativeload end. The OEM service model is based on the premisethat labs will receive the highest quality service from thecompanies who manufactured their systems. While OEMservice contracts are often more expensive, they are alsoconsidered to be the lowest-risk service option. Factory-trained and supported engineers have access to productbulletins, service notes and R&D personnel, service fixes,plus warehouses of parts. These strengths, combined withthe global infrastructure of many of today’s larger instru-ment suppliers, make the OEM model the frequent choicefor highly complex systems or those that are critical tolaboratory productivity.
The tradeoff for this low-risk, high-quality service iscost. There is more to this cost component than the priceof service agreements alone. When considering the OEMservice model, it’s important to look beyond the hard costssuch as replacement part prices, contract prices, and laborrates. To clearly assess the viability of this model for yourlaboratory, you must also address the soft costs associatedwith contract administration and analyst productivity.Time truly is money, and understanding the number ofhours spent purchasing and managing service contractsfrom multiple vendors is critical. Even if you spend as lit-tle as 15 minutes discussing contract options with anOEM sales specialist, this time adds up quickly when youdo this for 80 or 150+ systems in your laboratory. In addi-tion, analyst productivity is impacted when your serviceprogram is spread among several vendors. They must oftendetermine the right service hotline to call, then undermost OEM contracts, do some initial troubleshooting overthe phone before an engineer will be dispatched. Ourstudies have shown that there can be well over 25 processsteps involved on the laboratory side from problem report-ing to final resolution. There’s the initial triage time, theneed to escort OEM engineers while onsite, explaining orreproducing the problem, and verifying the repair. Thesehours represent lost laboratory productivity as well as addi-tional administrative cost.
If you’re responsible for organizing service only for the
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Five things to consider whendesigning your instrument service program
1. Consider the solution globally.Form a team of lab, procure-ment, and others to evaluatesolutions efficiencies acrossfunctional departments.
2. Assess your service require-ments holistically. Designingyour service program basedon your asset list alone maynot take critical factors such asposition in process, instrument-criticality, or sensitivity todowntime into account.
3. Know your service provider.Understand their businessmodel and what they expectfrom you; get the specifics ontheir infrastructure and ask oth-ers about their service reputa-tion.
4. Verify your provider has theright expertise. Ask for trainingrecords and certifications foranyone who works on yourinstruments upfront — it’s notonly a good idea, in some reg-ulated environments it may berequired
5. Don’t choose a service strategybased contract price alone.Consider the “soft costs” asso-ciated with instrument down-time and lost analyst productiv-ity. The lowest priced contractmay actually be more costly inthe long run.
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lab that we described in the scenario at the beginning ofthis article, then the OEM model and ISO model are like-ly to be high on your consideration list. On the otherhand, if you’re tasked with managing service for larger labsor are participating in a service program design team foryour entire site or organization, the Service Consolidatoror In-house models deserve closer consideration. There’salso a fifth model that’s emerging in response to customers’evolving needs.
INTEGRATED SERVICE DELIVERY (ISD) MODEL A recent trend in the analytical instrument service indus-try has been for equipment manufacturers to develop serv-ice programs that blend aspects of each of the traditionalservice models according to the requirements of eachorganization.
These new programs are designed to overcome theadministrative burden of managing multiple OEM con-tracts, while allowing procurement personnel and lab man-agers to consolidate multiple service contracts into one.The ISD provider becomes the single point of contact forall instrument service across the laboratory to streamlineservice processes and make the service program more con-
venient for lab managers and analysts. The ISD can lever-age the advantage of the In-house model by placing engi-neers and a parts cache on-site to manage scheduled serv-ices, as well as to triage instrument service events. Thisfrees lab personnel from the time-consuming involvementin service events while reducing the biggest delay-causingsteps in most instrument service events — engineer traveland parts shipping (Figure 1). Because the engineers workfor the vendor, the Integrated Service model can providethe benefit of onsite resources without the weighted costsand infrastructure limitations inherent with the In-houseMetrology service model. When compared to traditionalinstrument service models, the ISD model reduces thenumber of process steps associated with service events andshifts responsibility from analysts to the vendor’s on-siteresources. Not only does this make the service programmore convenient, it also helps lab managers protect ana-lyst productivity by keeping them focused on lab goalsrather than participating in instrument service events.
An additional advantage to blended service models isthe asset management and reporting functions typicallyavailable under these programs. Most of the traditionalservice models provide very little information to lab man-agers about service delivery. It’s often difficult for managersto track service histories, service costs, or return on servic-es investment. This type of asset management and servicereporting is a key feature of today’s multi-vendor serviceprovider programs.
CONCLUSIONChoosing the right instrument service program can be adaunting task as you consider all of the service factors thatdrive your service-level requirements. Lab managers mustconsider all components of the instrument service valueequation. When considering any of the traditional servicemodels reviewed here or even investigating a blendedmodel, it’s important to remember that anything thatimpacts service quality, reliability, or responsiveness canhave a direct impact on laboratory efficiency and analystproductivity. And, while the price of your service programwill always be a consideration, consider the costs and risksof your choices to your company’s business goals.
Mike Brown is Lab Resource Management Product Manager,Agilent Technologies Life Sciences and Chemical Analysis;www.agilent.com.
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Figure 1. Service Event Time Study. By analyzing the time spent for key tasks of a typical service event, the most costly and timeconsuming tasks are identified. Engineer traveland parts shipping represent the largest percentage of time.
Service Engineer Time Study
Travel 28% Prep
13%
Call Closure7%
PartsLogistics
11%Other6%
Source: Agilent Service Delivery Analysis, Internal Study, 2003
On-Site35%
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The Confusion AroundCOTS
managing data
IF A VENDOR CLAIMS TO PROVIDE A COTS SOLUTION, WHAT SHOULD A BUYER EXPECT? BETTER STILL,
WHAT SHOULD A BUYER DEMAND?
In software for the pharmaceutical industry, these days it seems like “COTS”(Commercial Off-The-Shelf) is inescapable. Suddenly, everything is COTS.However, the rapid proliferation of the term has far exceeded its actual availability.The terminology may have changed, but in most cases the reality of system deploy-ments has not.
In order to understand the current overuse, and in some cases blatant misuse, ofthe term “COTS,” a short recap of the LIMS industry is in order. LIMS themselvesdid not originate in the pharmaceutical industry; they can trace their heritage toenvironmental laboratories. However, in serving one laboratory environment, ven-dors quickly realized that there were many similarities between laboratories in differ-ent industries and aggressively marketed their systems to other industries. To makethe adoption of their solutions tenable in other industries, LIMS vendors worked todesign highly adaptable systems which was a logical approach. Customers were pro-vided with a basic environment and database, and a set of tools with which to extendthe system.
At the time, most laboratories were completely paper-based, and their choiceswere restricted to two options: build something completely internally, or build some-thing on top of a commercial LIMS platform. In many cases, the LIMS platform pro-vided a good starting point and could save the laboratory time and money comparedto a completely custom solution. However, in many cases, the limitations imposed bythe basic LIMS platform could actually prove to be complex or insurmountable barri-ers to a successful deployment, and custom solutions were not uncommon. The phar-maceutical industry in particular saw many custom solutions developed due to theintense regulatory scrutiny and complex testing requirements of their day-to-day busi-ness. Commercial LIMS platforms continued to improve, however, and over the past5-10 years it has become very uncommon for even pharma companies to developsolutions internally, despite the fact that there remain many significant gaps betweenthe commercial, generic LIMS platforms and their specific business needs.
In the past decade, pharmaceutical companies have increasingly recognized thatsoftware development is not their core competency. Executive management hasencouraged their IT teams to seek commercial solutions to their needs as much aspossible, and has actively discouraged internal development. LIMS vendors respond-ed to this trend by claiming that their solutions no longer required “customization,”but rather could now be “configured.” This wordplay was in many cases nothing morethan marketing. Pharma companies responded, knowing that customizing a LIMS sys-tem to meet their needs could often represent greater effort than simply building onethemselves and hoping that this new “configurability” would reduce their deployment
Richard Wagner
In the pastdecade, pharma-
ceutical companieshave increasingly
recognized thatsoftware develop-
ment is not theircore competency.
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and maintenance burdens.At this point, it is important to provide some clear
definition of the difference between configuration andcustomization:
Configuration: A configuration option shouldrequire no programmatic code at all and be completelytested by the vendor before software release. Ideally,configuration should be done through the user inter-face, although in some cases configuration files may beused, provided that appropriate testing has been com-pleted
Customization: Customization is ANY form of pro-grammatic code, including any and all varieties ofSQL+Plus, Scripting, etc.
Some systems did make progress in offering greaterlevels of configurability. Unfortunately, in many casesvendors claims of configurability were in fact based oncustomization. Wrapping a GUI window around a scriptdoes not change the fact that the script represents acustomization. If it didn’t come with the system, it wasnot tested and the validation burden rests completelyon the customer.
The purpose of this lengthy digression was to pro-vide a context in which we can examine the currenttrend of claiming that systems are COTS. This trendbegan in the past 1-2 years, as the FDA began using theterm in presentations. The term has been in use inother industries for many years, particularly in engineer-ing fields. It has been applied to software componentsand to hardware components. In our context, it is beingapplied to software systems, particularly LIMS. LIMSvendors are aware, sometimes painfully so, of theimpact of customization on system validation, deploy-ment, and maintenance. The message they try to con-vey is that all that pain is a thing of the past. In somecases, vendors have made significant progress; in othercases, the product has barely changed at all, despite themarketing claims.
So, the question is, what should a customer belooking for in a COTS solution?
The first step is to approach the term realistically.No solution will meet 100% of a company’s needs out ofthe box (OOTB). However, it should not be unreason-able to set a lower target of 75%, and optimisticallylook for greater than 80% of your functional require-ments. The challenge is to evaluate whether therequirements that are presented in a demonstration arein fact included in the basic software system. Most ofthe LIMS vendors have been demonstrating their sys-tems for years, and are prepared to show what their sys-tems are “capable” of doing. This will frequentlyinclude custom functionality that is NOT delivered aspart of the core product, and is not documented or sup-
ported. Critical evaluation of the true OOTB capabilitiesof a system must discriminate between what a system is“capable” of and what it truly delivers.
In the pharmaceutical industry, there are several areasthat have represented challenges for LIMS systems in thepast that are excellent indicators of the scope and truecapabilities of the basic product.
PRODUCT AND BATCH MANAGEMENTMost LIMS systems are sample oriented. In order toaccurately connect samples to a product of interest, manyfields are typically added to the sample tables in thedatabase to include information like potency, productidentification, formulation type, and more. For a pharma-ceutical LIMS system to be truly useful OOTB, it shouldmanage drug products and drug substances independent-ly, then simply relate the samples to those products. Thesame is true of manufacturing batches; these should beindependent entities, with their own set of properties,and be related to samples that represent those batches.
DISSOLUTION (USP 711) AND DRUG RELEASE (USP724)There are several common tests in the USP and othernational pharmacopeias that require multiple stages andlogic for evaluating the results of the testing but dissolu-tion is one of the most common, and most commonlylamented.• Can the software easily handle multiple analytes and
multiple timepoints when designing dissolution testmethods and processing dissolution data?
• Does the software understand Q values and how tohandle them?
• Does the software provide the flexibility to deviatefrom the USP guidelines where required?
• Are additional testing stages automatically createdbased on the collected results?
STABILITY TESTINGMost LIMS vendors that target the pharmaceuticalindustry have some kind of stability functionality avail-able. However, it can sometimes be too rigid to adapt tothe reality of stability testing, particularly during R&D.Special considerations include:• Can stability studies be altered easily to include addi-
tional timepoints or conditions?• Can stability studies easily reference release data as
time zero results?• Can inventory material be easily tracked and managed?• Can multiple packages be simultaneously evaluated, in
multiple orientations?
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SYSTEM EXTENSIBILITYAs previously mentioned, no system will be able to sat-isfy 100% of a customer’s needs. With that in mind, itis important that the vendor provide capabilities toconfigure and, if necessary, customize the solution.• What configuration abilities exist?
- Approval lifecycles?- Status cascades?- Security options?
• Are there tools to extend the system without pro-grammatic code?
- Adding new properties and new entities?- Designing new GUI screens?
• Does the system employ an industry standard pro-gramming environment when customization is neces-sary? Proprietary programming languages present sig-nificant challenges in terms of resource management.
CONCLUSIONLaboratory information management systems haveclearly progressed significantly since their inception.However, much of their evolution has been realized inthe capabilities they offer for customization. Whilemany vendors now include the term COTS in theirmarketing materials, that claim is not always substanti-ated. The prudent pharmaceutical LIMS buyer shouldrequire clear evidence that there is truly applicablebusiness functionality offered OOTB to avoid the needfor extensive customization. There are specific areasthat can be examined to determine how capable a sys-tem is by reviewing not only software demonstrations,but also available supporting documentation and sup-port offerings to differentiate between what a LIMS is“capable” of, and what it truly delivers off-the-shelf.
Richard Wagner is Senior Director, ProductManagement, Informatics Thermo Electron Corporation;marketing. [email protected]; 866-463-6522.
LabManager 27labmgr.com
Many laboratory accreditation options are available in theUSA. Not all options are the same, so buyers need to havethe facts in order to make an informed choice. This audio/Webseminar will cover the history of accreditation in the USA, aswell as the different accreditation options currently available. Itwill address the differences between ISO 9001 registration andISO/IEC 17025 laboratory accreditation. Accreditation bodyrecognition will be discussed, including the Mutual RecognitionAgreement (MRA) peer evaluation process.
What you need to know about Lab Accreditation and
the MRA ProcessNOVEMBER 15, 2006 - 1PM ET
Speaker :
Philip W. Smith, American Association for Lab Accreditation (A2LA)
Sign up today at
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Research shows that 30% of liquid delivery devicesare operating out of specification at any given moment.But to meet regulatory requirements, quality standards,and internal guidelines, all laboratory processes must bemaintained and controlled. This audio/Web seminar willeducate attendees on risks inherent in and designed intoliquid-based assays, and effective liquid delivery quali-ty assurance practices that can be implemented to ensuredata integrity and regulatory compliance without sacri-ficing productivity.
Is Your Liquid Delivery Process Complaint?OCTOBER 24, 2006 - 1PM ET
Speaker :
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George Rodrigues, Ph.D., Senior Scientific Manager, ARTEL
pp24-27 9/06/06 02:08 AM Page 27
RELIABILITY ENGINEERS Use Environmental Testing Labs
managing quality
RELIABILITY MEANS REDUCING SURPRISES AND FAILURES. TESTING FOR WEAK-NESSES CAN INCLUDE FREEZING, HEATING, DROPPING, AND MORE.
Some engineers specialize in the reliability of military, naval, medical, and financialequipment, where “up time” is very important and “downtime” (at least unscheduled downtime) is to beavoided. While some reliability engineers focus on software, others (and this article) focus on the reliabil-ity and durability of hardware, the kinds of stresses that can shorten the life of hardware, and appropriatetests to uncover weaknesses.
One group of those stresses and tests can be called climatics. This group includes natural environ-ments, such as thermal, altitude (low pressure), pressure (immersion), humidity, sand-and-dust, salt fog,corrosion, etc.
Another group of stresses and tests can be called dynamics. It includes man-made environments,such as EMI (electromagnetic interference, also called EMC or electromagnetic compatibility and RFI orradio frequency interference), as well as vibration, mechanical shock, and noise. The latter are my fieldsand are given some emphasis in this article.
IN-HOUSE ENVIRONMENTAL TEST LABSMany organizations own their own testing labs in which they haveclimatic chambers that can reproduce the natural environments listedearlier. Such a test may involve a low-temperature test on a militaryvehicle, a test that is far cheaper and faster than taking the vehicle toarctic terrain. On other days, such a chamber might be used for ele-vated temperature testing, high-humidity testing, and other climaticenvironmental testing.
Such an organization may well also have a lab dedicated todynamic (vibration and/or mechanical shock) testing. This type of test-ing may consist of a vibration test that simulates road inputs to a landvehicle, freeing test personnel from weather-related limitations on testtracks and highways. Figure 1 shows, for example, a package beingdrop-tested to verify that the contents will survive shipping and severehandling.
COMMERCIAL TESTING LABORATORIESOther organizations instead depend upon “outside” environmentaltesting labs, such as those listed at http://www.equipment-reliability.com/link.htm#laboratories. Some of these labs are independ-ent. Others belong to rather vast organizations of multiple labs in vari-ous countries. Not all labs offer all kinds of environmental testing.
ACCREDITED LABORATORIESMany of these labs (in-house as well as independent, both in the U.S. and abroad) have becomeaccredited to offer certain kinds of tests. A2LA (www.a2la.org), the American Association forLaboratory Accreditation is one of these accreditation bodies. Assessors visit labs that offer testing andevaluate their abilities to meet the requirements of International Standards Association ISO 17025.
Wayne Tustin
The general idea is this:if hardware passes the
lab test, it will probablysurvive in service.
LabManagerlabmgr.com
Figure 1: Dynamic testing can include drop-testing to verify that contents will surviveshipping and severe handling.
>>29
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However, many organizations want greater assurance that hardwarewon’t fail in service and won’t surprise users by failing in some unexpect-ed way. Never let it be said, “We didn’t test for that.”
ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS SCREENING OR ESSHigh-reliability hardware is increasingly screened. Visualize 100 electron-ic, just-completed assemblies. There is a chance that some of them con-tain defects or latent failures. Sure, they work fine on the test bench. But(as in Figure 2) once a blast of heated and then refrigerated air is passedthrough flexible ducts and through the assemblies, inducing heating andcooling, expanding and contracting, some failures will occur. Subjectingthe assemblies to multi-axis random vibration from pneumatic vibratorson the bottom of the softly-spring platform shown will precipitate otherfailures. If ESS is made more severe, accelerating the screen, the effortmay be called HASS or Highly Accelerated Stress Screening.
HIGHLY ACCELERATED LIFE TESTING (HALT)If the foregoing is part of development of new hardware, the acronymHALT is applied. It is not a well-chosen acronym, but it’s widely used.
THIRSTING FOR FURTHER KNOWLEDGE?The Equipment Reliability Institute (ERI) (www.equipment-reliability.com, www.vibrationandshock.com) offers message boards atwhich you are invited to leave questions.
Wayne Tustin, Equipment Reliability Institute, Santa Barbara, CA; 805-564-1260; [email protected].
labmgr.comLabManager30
STIMULATION VS. SIMULATIONIn most of the environmental tests mentioned thus far,labs attempt to simulate real-world environments, bothclimatic and dynamic. The general idea is this: if hard-ware passes the lab test, it will probably survive in service.
Figure 2: Environmental Stress Screening subjectsassemblies to conditions intended to detect defects orlatent failures.
pp28-31 9/06/06 02:05 AM Page 30
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SAFETYGUYSthe
The toxicological effects of chemicals can manifest themselves in a number ofways. The results of exposure from some materials can be felt immediately suchas watering of the eyes with lachrymators. With other chemicals, there may beboth immediate effects like irritation and delayed effects such as pulmonaryedema. With carcinogens there may be no symptoms yet effects are seendecades later. Effects of teratogens and mutagens are not seen until the nextgeneration. With the thousands of chemicals that can be encountered and thedifferent effects, how does one go about determining what is a safe exposure?
OSHA COMPLIANCE – A MINIMUM STANDARD Exposure concentrations and limits in air are typically given in parts per mil-lion (ppm), milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3), or fibers per cubic centimeter(fibers/cm3). Where additive exposure potential exists via absorption throughthe skin, a "[skin]" designation appears with the exposure limit.
The OSHA permissible exposure limits (PELs) (29 CFR 1910.1000) aretypically the least restrictive exposure values and serve as a minimum perform-ance standard in the United States. It should be noted that when PELs areestablished, the process is a mixture of science and politics. Economic factorsrelated to exposure compliance are presented by industry groups during thestandard setting process and influence the final selection of exposure limits as acompromise value. OSHA limits may also lag behind new scientific literature,as the entire political rulemaking process must be followed to make changes toa PEL. PELs are typically time-weighted average concentrations that must notbe exceeded during any 8-hour work shift. Short-term exposure limits (STELs)have been established for some materials and are usually measured over a 15-minute period. OSHA ceiling concentrations must not be exceeded during anypart of the workday.
The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists(ACGIH) Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) are also expressed as time-weightedaverages and short term limits. ACGIH committees of experts in public healthand related sciences determine these values. TLVs are based only on healthfactors and not subjected to a political process. The TLVs can adapt more rap-idly to new scientific information than OSHA PELs. Most health and safetyprofessionals we have known rely on the more conservative ACGIH TLVs asminimum protective standards for their clients.
However, TLVs and PELs are not available for most chemicals. Theabsence of an exposure limit does not mean a chemical is “safe;” it means thatthe chemical has not gone through the rigorous review and standards settingprocess. In the absence of exposure limits, the LD50 and LC50, along withphysical parameters such as vapor pressure, can help establish the risk of work-ing with a chemical.
We have found the Poison Information Centers and TeratogenInformation Service excellent sources of information when standard literaturesearches yield poor or equivocal results. The professional staff atthese centers are often willing to help, however, please let themknow this is not an emergency and that you are willing to wait afew days for an answer. We would caution not to request assistance
Glenn Ketcham, CIH and Vince McLeod, CIH
ChemicalSafety in the
Laboratory-Part 2
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>>
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except when your efforts fail to find results by conven-tional means or of course when you have an actual expo-sure event.
There is a term “ALARA” taken from the nuclearindustry. It stands for “as low as reasonably achievable.”This is a good mantra. Compliance with OSHA is alegal obligation; meeting ACGIH guidelines can helplimit liability further. But reducing levels as low as onecan using reasonable means makes good sense, furtherlimits potential liability, and helps create a more pleasantand possibly more productive workplace.
So, at this point we have identified the chemicalswe will be using; have consulted sources of chemicalsafety information; have an idea of the possible routes ofexposure of concern for the particular chemicals and thetypes of biological effects (e.g. simple toxin, sensitizer,carcinogen, etc.); and the relative hazard of the materi-als. Next we must select the appropriate procedures tominimize exposures and prepare for contingencies.
HIERARCHY OF PROTECTIVE METHODS There are a variety of means to protect oneself from haz-ardous chemicals. These include in order of preference:substitution, engineering controls, administrative con-trols, and personal protective equipment. In fact, interms of airborne exposures, OSHA requires engineeringcontrols for controlling exposures except when it can bedemonstrated to be infeasible.
Substitution is the most effective method of hazardcontrol. A less hazardous or relatively harmless materialis substituted for a hazardous chemical. An examplewould be the use of one of the new glass cleaners as asubstitute for Chromerge (an oxidizer containing hexa-valent chromium, a probable human carcinogen). Byusing a different material the hazard is largely eliminated.
Engineering controls are the next preference whenuse of the hazardous chemical cannot be eliminated.One example most commonly used in the lab is the useof differential air pressure to control exposures to air-borne contaminants. Where there is the potential forairborne contamination, a chemical fume hood is a veryeffective first line of defense. The contaminants generat-ed in the hood should be retained in the hood, drawnaway from the worker, and exhausted up the stack.
Fume hoods are not foolproof however, and we haveseen many exposures to materials used in hoods. Theseexposures usually stem from misuse or hoods that havebeen compromised in some fashion. The hood should beset up with the work at least six inches back from thesash. The back baffles (slots) through which the air flowsshould not be blocked. We have often seen the entireback bottom slot blocked by reagent and sample bottles.The airfoil on the bottom leading edge of the hood isalso frequently blocked by users placing “benchcoat”(absorbent pads) on the bottom and taping it to the
edge. The proper functioning of the hood requires air-flow passing around the items in the hood and passingdirectly out the back slots. Overloading the hood cancause eddies and back drafts allowing chemicals toescape.
We have also seen many hood users with the sashfully raised. This not only removes a line of defenseagainst explosion but also reduces the hood face velocityto a point where simple room currents blowing by thehood may aspirate contaminates into the open room.The face velocity V= (Q)/(A) where Q is the volumeflow (a constant) and A is the face area of the hood. Youcan see, as the area increases (by raising the sash) thevelocity decreases. Newer hood systems are often vari-able volume systems that maintain a relatively constantface velocity regardless of sash position.
Administrative controls to prevent chemical expo-sure are fairly uncommon in laboratory settings thoughthese may include posting signage warning of hazardssuch as areas where fume hoods exhaust at roof level orlimiting staff participating in a procedure.
Personal protective equipment is widely used in thelaboratory and a thorough discussion would require anarticle devoted to the topic. Some key points to make,however, include matching the equipment to the chemi-cals and the hazards they present.
Glove compatibility charts should be consulted andselection made based in part on chemical permeationresistance. We were involved in a case where a workerwas using an organic solvent with neurotoxic properties.The worker was convinced his fume hood was not oper-ating properly and he was exhibiting symptoms of over-exposure. Upon investigation and observing the process,we determined that in fact the hood was working wellbut that he was wearing latex gloves and his fingers werecontacting the solvent. The solvent was absorbed by theglove material and actually increased his exposure byholding the solvent impregnated glove material againsthis skin.
Chemicals can be worked with in a safe manner, butto do so the worker needs to understand the properties ofthe chemicals with which they work and the means toprotect themselves. The development and use of thechemical hygiene plan with standard operating proce-dures that consider the hazards associated with the use ofchemicals and protective measures can go a long way inpreventing exposures in the laboratory.
Diligence of all workers in the lab is necessary how-ever to protect not only themselves but those aroundthem. As always, make safety in the lab a habit for life.
Useful reference information and links: • Prudent Practices in the Laboratory: Handling and
Disposal of Chemicals. Copyright 1995 by theNational Academy of Sciences.
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• Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances andPhysical Agents in the Work Environment, AmericanConference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists(ACGIH) (latest edition).
• Poison Information Center National Toll-Free Number:1-800-222-1222
• Teratology Information Service in your area, OTISInformation at: (866) 626-OTIS or (866) 626-6847
http: //monographs.iarc.fr/monoeval/crthall.html http: //monographs.iarc.fr/ http: //www.cdc.gov/niosh/npotocca.html http: //ehp.niehs.nih.gov/roc/toc10.html http: //ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/NewHomeRoc/AboutRoC.html http: //www.cdc.gov/niosh/ipcs/nicstart.html http: //www.hhmi.org/research/labsafe/ http: //www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npg.html http: //www.practicingsafescience.org/
Glenn Ketcham is a Certified Industrial Hygienistwith 22 years experience in the health and safety field. Heis currently the Risk Manager for the University of Florida
with responsibility for the loss prevention, ergonomics,disaster preparedness, and the occupational medicine sur-veillance programs. He has managed the laboratory safetyprograms for both the University of California, San Diego(UCSD) and the University of Florida. In addition, heserved as an industrial hygienist with federal OSHA com-pliance and has a masters degree in environmental engi-neering sciences with a health physics concentration.
Vince McLeod is a Certified Industrial Hygienist andthe senior IH with the University of Florida’sEnvironmental Health and Safety Division. He has 17years of occupational health and safety experience in aca-demic research with focus in the research laboratory. Hisspecialties are in hazard evaluation and exposure assess-ments.
The Safety Guys welcome your comments and questions. Youcan email them at [email protected].
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productnews
3D STEREOMICROSCOPYTrueVision™ is a real-time, high-def-inition, 3D image capture and dis-play system for stereomicroscopes.This product provides real-time visu-alization and digital image pro-cessing at full high-definition resolu-tion in 3D for science, medicine,and industry. Micro Vision Systems www.mvsys.us
96-WELL FREEZEDRYING SYSTEMThe VirTis® 96-well Freeze DryingSystems for high-throughput appli-cations include either glass or plas-tic vials set in an aluminum vialholder with a lyophilization stop-per. The solid aluminum 96-wellvial holders provide efficient andeven heat distribution for fast andconsistent freeze drying results forevery sample. SP Industries www.spindustries.com
38 labmgr.comLabManager
FLUID METERINGBy combining the Ratio:Matic® Dual HeadMetering Pumps with the new V300 StrokeRate Controller, users can now proportional-ly meter and electronically vary the flow rateof two fluids at ratios from 1:1 up to 1000:1at flow rates from 20 µL/min up to 4 L/min. The pumps have two pump headscoupled to a single variable speed drive. Fluid Metering www.fmipump.com
PCR ENZYME dNTPACKSThe new PCR Enzyme dNTPacks canimprove PCR performance, simplify order-ing, and increase economy. By combiningpure nucleotides in the same package withthe Expand High Fidelity, Taq Polymerase,FastStart Taq Polymerase, or FastStart HighFidelity PCR enzymes, PCR EnzymedNTPacks can maximize PCR sensitivityand performance.Roche Applied Sciencewww.roche-applied-science.com
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AMINO ACIDMIXTURESThese amino acid mixtures simpli-fy the process of making selectiveyeast media. Methionine-minusand variable adenine formula-tions, as well as single, double,triple and higher dropout mixturesare all available as perfectlyblended powders to ensure exper-imental reproducibility for two-hybrid screening, expression vector maintenance and otherapplications.Sunrise Science Products www.sunrisescience.com
ULTRACENTRIFUGESThe Sorvall® WX Ultra Series floor stand-ing centrifuges are available in 80k, 90k,and 100k rpm models. These ultracen-trifuges offer advanced technology andsimple operation in a compact design forcell and molecular biology, genomic, andproteomic applications. They offer a smallfootprint, reduced deck height, and whis-per-quiet operation while compatible withthe majority of popular ultra-rotors. Thermo Electronwww.thermo.com
NANOPARTICLECHARACTERIZATION SYSTEMThis LM10 nanoparticle characterization systemenables visualisation of individual nanoscale parti-cles in suspension. The system allows the user a sim-ple and direct qualitativeview of the sample underanalysis from which inde-pendent quantitative esti-mation of particle size,size distribution, and con-centration can be immedi-ately obtained. The systemcan measure nanoparti-cles down to 9-15nm. NanoSight Ltd www.nanosight.co.uk
pH KITThe S40P pH meter is a com-plete kit that combines the pHmeter, an InLab®410 pH elec-trode and all necessary cablesand buffer standards for runningsamples in the pharmaceuticalindustry. It has a built in automat-ic temperature compensation,automatic endpoint, and auto-matic buffer recognition. METTLER TOLEDO www.mt.com
tools of the trade
39labmgr.com LabManager
HOMOGENIZING SYSTEMThe programmable Omni Prep™ is designed to homogenize up to250 samples per hour. Operation with disposable probes elimi-nates cross contamination and cleaning using brushless motor tech-nology. Features include a removable clear door and positive air-flow that can be exhausted to a HEPA-filter or fume hood. Omni International, Inc. www.omni-inc.com
LUMINESCENT IMAGE ANALYZERThe LAS-3000mini, a compact, super CCD luminescentimage analyzer offers researchers a desktop solution forluminescence applications. Thiscompact image analysis sys-tem is designed for chemilumi-nescence and bioluminescenceanalysis, specifically forWestern blotting applications. Itincorporates a proprietarySuper CCD chip, which allowsfor resolution of 3.2 to 6.3 mil-lion pixels. FujiFilm Life Science USA www.fujifilmlifescienceusa.com
>>POLYCLONAL ANTIBODIESA variety of polyclonal antibodies are available for sale to the clin-ical research community. The polyclonal antibodies are derivedfrom goats, chickens, rabbits, and sheep. Products are added on aregular basis as part of the commitment to offer a complete line ofbiomaterials for the clinical research community.Lee Biosolutions www.leebio.com
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PIPETTE CALIBRATIONMANAGEMENTThis pipette calibration manage-ment system reduces humantranscription error and speedsup calibration by relying on sev-eral components: proprietarysoftware, a barcode scanner,and a laboratory-qualified print-er. The PCSplus automatically
calculates and documents calibration results. Trend reports canbe generated to understand pipette performance. ARTEL www.artel-usa.com
LENTIVIRAL shRNAGENE FAMILY SETSThe MISSION™ TRCshRNA Human KinasesGene Family target setsthat allows for rapid RNAicell-based screens in mam-malian systems not easilymanipulated by traditionalsiRNA. The lentiviral trans-duction particle formateliminates the need topropagate bacterial cells,purify plasmid DNA orundertake the lengthyprocess of preparing virus. Sigma-Aldrichhttp://sigma-aldrich.com/rnai
AUTOMATED CELLCULTURECompacT SelecT automatical-ly addresses the wholeprocess for the provision ofcells for cell-based assaysfrom the simultaneous cultureof multiple cell lines main-tained and processed on thesystem to the delivery of cellsinto assay plates ondemand. Features include:total flexibility in batch sizeand number of cell lines andunattended operation.The Automation Partnershipwww.automationpartner-ship.com
COLONY PICKERThe CP7200 colony pickeroffers high-speed picking,ease of use, and reliability.Picking rates up to 7,200colonies per hour andadvanced imaging software go from plate to plateand even run to run without timely recalibrationefforts. The footprint optimizes lab space at 22”x 20.” Norgren Systems www.norgrensystems.com
REMOVINGALKALINEPHOSPHATASEThe Elix Clinical system’sdesign combines prefiltra-tion, softening, reverseosmosis (RO), electrodeion-ization (EDI), polishing andmicro-filtration in one pack-age. By providing Type IIand Type I water in a singleunit, users now can feed
analyzers reliably with pure water. The BioPak disposable ultra-filtration cartridge dispenses ultrapure water for up to threemonths without a loss of flow rate.Millipore Corporationwww.millipore.com
GAS MONITORThis total dissolved gas monitor-ing and controlling system willprevent gas bubble disease.The Sentinel automatically shutsdown your system if it detectsan unsafe water level, TGPreaches 103%, or a sudden,abnormal increase in TGPoccurs. The Sentinel outputs two4-20 mA analog signals andcan initiate alarms, if desired.Aquatic Habitats™www.aquaticeco.com
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BIOSENSOR SYSTEMThe Ibis T5000 biosensor system canrapidly identify or classify organismsthat are newly-emerging, geneticallyaltered, or unculturable. The Ibis T5000biosensor works with many differenttypes of infectious samples from humansamples, such as throat swabs or spu-tum, to environmental samples, such assoil or air. Bruker Daltonicswww.bruker-biosciences.com
DISPOSABLE BIOPROCESS ASSEMBLIESThe BioConnect program enables customers in the biotech and phar-maceutical industries to custom order sterilized or non-sterilized dispos-
able bioprocess assemblies manufac-tured to their precise specifications.Customers choose from among thou-sands of brand-name components -tub-ing, fittings, valves, filters, biobags.Assemblies are custom-produced andvalidated with full-lot traceability in aClass 10,000 cleanroom. Cole-Parmer www.coleparmer.com/bioconnect
SELF SEALINGTUBESSAFE-T-FILL self-sealing capil-lary blood collection tubesare a safety improvement forlaboratories that use cap-piercing analyzers for theirhematology testing. All
SAFE-T-FILL capillary blood collection tubes are cap pierce-able.The newself-sealing cap increases laboratory worker safety by preventing bloodfrom spilling, ejecting, or splashing after the analyzer probe has piercedthe cap. RAM Scientific www.ramsci.com
MOTORIZED STAGE SYSTEM The ES10 OptiScan™II controller with USB includes an upgradeddrive circuitry for smoother and quieter motion and an available DLL(Dynamic Link Library) for writingnew code. The space savingdesign houses drives for a motor-ized stage, focus, two filterwheels, and three shutters whicheliminate the need to upgradethe controller when adding addi-tional components such as filterwheels.Prior Scientificwww.prior.com.
ZERO-PARTICULATE PRY BARS Designed for applications wherecontamination from ferrous toolsis a critical concern, the stainlesssteel pry bars are manufacturedentirely from electropolished 17-4PH stainless steel hex stock,without plating or coating of anykind. The bars are available inlengths of 13.5” (337mm), 16”(400mm), and 18” (450mm),with shaft diameters of 3/8”,1/2”, and 5/8”, respectively.Steritool www.steritool.com
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DATA MANAGEMENTUnity Real Time™ quali-ty control data manage-ment software solutionfacilitates compliancewith regulatory andaccreditation require-ments(e.g. ISO15189 and CLIA),and recommends andimplements optimumquality control rulesautomatically whenused with theWestgard Advisor™ to prevent false error flags, provideshigh-quality run validation with comprehensive audit trails.Bio-Rad Laboratorieswww.bio-rad.com
TISSUE SYSTEMThe Agencourt RNAdvanceTissue process is based onthe patented SPRI® (Solid Phase ReversibleImmobilization) para-magnetic bead nucleicacid purification technol-ogy. The new system pro-duces clean RNA with
high recovery, in single-tube or 96-well formats, while eliminatingorganic solvents, vacuum filtration and centrifugation steps. Beckman Coulter www.beckmancoulter.com
GLUCOSE MONITORINGThe Nova StatStrip™ point-of-care glucose monitor incorpo-rates a patented new strip technology that uses four measuring
wells. Nova’s Multi-Well™ sys-tem measures and corrects hema-tocrit interference as well as inter-ferences from acetaminophen(Tylenol), uric acid, ascorbic acid(Vitamin C), maltose, galactose,xylose, and lactose. StatStrip alsoeliminates oxygen interference toprovide accurate glucose resultsregardless of the sample’s oxy-gen status.Nova Biomedicalwww.novabio.com
41LabManager
tools of the trade
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Opens the door tounlimited learningopportunities.
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Pittcon’s diverse technical program includesinvited symposia, workshops,
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Mark your calendar for Pittcon: February 25–March 2, 2007McCormick Place • Chicago, Illinois USA • www.pittcon.org
Welcome to Pittcon®—758,432 square feet of new things to see, and no limitto what you can learn. All under one roof, you’ll get a hands-on look at newtechnologies and instrumentation, plus a chance to interact with technicalexperts in every discipline. Get ahead professionally with presentations andcourses on the latest developments in your field, and enjoy an opportunity
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pp42-43 9/04/06 09:38 PM Page 42
HOW IT WORKS
Problem: Competitive pres-sures are forcing laboratories to lookfor ways to operate more efficiently,reduce costs, and increase productivi-ty. The scientist-managers chargedwith achieving these improvementslack the data to identify the most sig-nificant opportunities for improve-ment and may lack the business skillsto manage for high performance. It isnot unusual for productivity initia-tives to fall short of goals in spite ofstrong effort by the staff and for man-agers to experience a high level ofstress and frustration in leading theseefforts.
Solution: Just as good scienceis based upon the logical interpreta-tion of data to derive conclusions,good business decisions also comefrom reasonable interpretations ofhard data. In driving productivity andefficiency improvement, it is invalu-able to know the exact performanceareas where the laboratory lags itspeers, by how much, and what is areasonable expectation for improve-ment. Unfortunately, these hard datahave been nearly impossible toobtain in the absence of a systematicmethod to collect, analyze, andreport on laboratory performance.Thermo Electron ProductivityServices now offers a cost effectivesolution by acting as an independentunbiased third party to confidentiallycollect a comprehensive set of per-formance metrics from laboratories
and report back each lab’s standingversus their peer group. These metricsprovide the hard data to guide themanager in selecting improvementinitiatives with the greatest potentialfor success or for superior labs to vali-date exceptional performance and toobtain recognition from executivemanagement. Thermo recognizesthat its success is inextricably linkedto the success of its laboratory cus-tomers and has developed a suite ofservice solutions to partner with labsto help them succeed operationally.A very important aspect of this serv-ice is Thermo Electron’s pledge tomaintain complete confidentialityand to never use any participant’sdata for marketing or commercialpurposes.
After using the benchmarkingmetrics survey to identify weaknessesand strengths, the lab managers needthe management tools to implementtheir decisions. Recognizing that labmanagers typically come from a sci-
entific background, Thermo Electronhas developed three, one-day man-agement workshops specifically tai-lored to the unique environment ofthe laboratory. These reasonablypriced workshops are offered in majormetropolitan areas in the U.S. to pro-vide exposure to a wide range of thelatest management techniques andstyles and to provide a forum formanagers to meet and exchangebest practices. These shared experi-ences are especially valuable sincethey provide insight into the reasonswhy management initiatives suc-ceeded or failed in a laboratory envi-ronment. The workshops cover thethree critical areas of laboratorymanagement — managing the per-formance of the staff, managing thefinancial affairs, and managing thequality of testing results.
For more information, go towww.thermo.com or [email protected].
Figure 1: These metrics provide thehard data to validate exceptional per-formance. The benchmarking metricssurvey identifies weaknesses andstrengths.
Productivity and Efficiency
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lab diagnosis
“Seeing Red” may imply that someone is very angry, but forsomeone using polarized light microscopy (PLM), the abilityto see red is important to correctly identify many materials.
As an undergraduate geology student, one of the mostinteresting courses I took was optical mineralogy. However,since I have a subtle form of colorblindness, this course wasmore challenging for me than it was for my classmates. Byusing a polarized light microscope, it is possible to determinechemical composition and crystallographic information aboutan unknown sample that can provide an accurate identifica-tion of that unknown material. PLM is used routinely for theanalysis of possible asbestos-containing materials. However,most of the phenomena observed with a polarized light micro-scope are dependent on the user’s ability to accurately observesubtle color differences. This fact makes the use of this power-ful tool difficult for individuals, such as myself, with color-blindness. Fortunately, I was able to find ways to compensatefor my color vision problems and continue to use PLM for theidentification and characterization of many different types ofmaterials.
Colorblindness, or more accurately, color vision confu-sion, is a condition that affects a person’s ability to correctlyperceive color. Color vision confusion is typically an inherit-ed genetic defect that affects the sensitivity of the retina tovarious colors of light. It is most common in men (about 10%of all men are colorblind) but about 0.5% of women are col-orblind also. The degree of colorblindness is highly variableand ranges from subtle color confusion in some, to otherswho see the world in only shades of gray.
Color vision originates at the retina. Cells in the retina,called cones, are sensitive to specific wavelengths of light.When these cells absorb photons of a specific wavelength,chemical reactions occur and produce a signal that is sent tothe brain via the optic nerve. The brain processes that signaland we “see” a color. People with normal color vision havethree types of cones that are sensitive to long (red), medium(green), and short (blue) wavelengths of light. People withabnormal color vision also have cones; however, one or moreof these types of cones may be insensitive to a specific wave-length, or may have a sensitivity that is shifted away fromthe normal ranges of sensitivities. As an example, an individ-ual may lack cones that are sensitive to medium (green)wavelengths. This person would perceive red and green to bethe same color. Another individual may have cones that aresensitive to medium wavelengths, but the peak sensitivity of
Seeing Red: How to Compensate for Color Vision Confusion in Microscopy
LabManager 45
Brian R. Bandli
labmgr.com
Figure 1: Glass Micrograph Glass fragments showing examples of disper-sion-staining colors. Note the subtle differencesin blues shown in the three particles on the rightside of the image.
Figure 2: Mineral Grain Micrograph Mineral grains in cross-polarized light withaccessory plate inserted showing examples ofcolors observed with PLM. Field is approxi-mately 600 µm across.
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these cones may be shifted to either longer or shorterwavelengths. If a person with normal color vision looksat something that is green, the individual with the colorvision abnormality described above may see that greenobject as either more brown or yellow depending onwhich way the peak sensitivity of the medium wave-length sensitive cones was shifted. There are also indi-viduals who lack any ability to perceive color and aretruly colorblind.
Many properties observed using PLM are verydependent on color. The ability to correctly identify thecolors observed while examining a sample with PLM isextremely important. Dispersion staining is a techniqueused to determine the refractive index of a materialbased on the color that appears when illuminated in avery specific manner. Very slight differences in colorcan translate into significant differences in refractiveindex (Figure 1). This is important because slightchanges in chemical composition can cause significantchanges in refractive index. Fortunately, it is possiblewith good training, quality reference samples, and plen-ty of experience for a colorblind microscopist to learnhow to compensate for this handicap and accuratelydetermine the refractive index of a material using thistechnique.
Observing interference colors of minerals usingPLM is also highly dependent on the ability to observecolor. Using various accessories routinely used with the
PLM, a microscopist can determine certain opticalproperties. The same information can be determinedusing two different accessories: one that produces brightcolors (Figure 2) and one that produces a different setof colors that may be more easily recognized by an indi-vidual with color vision confusion. By knowing how touse these accessories a colorblind microscopist canadapt to their specific color vision problems. There arealso several different illumination techniques, such asoblique illumination, that can produce different coloreffects that may help a microscopist better determinevarious properties of an unknown sample.
Looking back, I believe I would not have come outof that optical mineralogy course with the same under-standing of the phenomena I was observing had I hadnormal color vision. By having to find valid ways tocompensate for my color vision, I needed to study andunderstand the physics behind what I was seeing.
Color perception is also important in othermicroscopy techniques, such as fluorescence microscopy.Through years of experience, we have become keenlyaware of the importance how color is perceived, and theneed for instruction on the proper use of a wide varietyof microscopy techniques.
Bryan R. Bandli is a research microscopist at MVAScientific Consultants. He can be reached [email protected].
LabManager46 labmgr.com
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26OPENING REMARKS AND PROGRAM INTRODUCTION
Alexander Debets, ALMA PresidentPhil Edwards, Program Chair
THE HARD & SOFT SIDE OF LABORATORY MANAGEMENT FROM THE MARKET PERSPECTIVE, Marc Casper, Thermo Electron CorporationTRANSFORMING A CORPORATE LAB INTO A BUSINESS, Wolfgang Preuss, HenkelSEVENTEEN SKILLS OF GOOD TEAM PLAYERS, Mitchell Eggers, Ferro CorporationWORKING RELATIONS BETWEEN BABY BOOMERS AND GENERATION X, Alan Cabelly, Portland State UniversitySERVICE SEGMENTATION: ALIGNING ANALYTICAL OFFERINGS WITH CUSTOMER NEEDS, Paula McDaniel, Air Products & ChemicalsROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS
• Recording and documenting information, moderated by Gene Kaercher, Cargill• Building trust in labs, moderated by Sabah MA Al-Maawali, Petroleum Development• Getting new employees off to a good start, moderated by Paul Tas, NOVA Chemicals
CONFERENCE BANQUETPresentation of Distinguished Service Award, sponsored by Agilent Technologies
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO SETTING CORPORATE, LOCATION, DIVISION AND INDIVIDUAL GOALS WITH AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM WITHIN A SERVICE ANALYTICAL LABORATORY,Ron Minks, EnvirotestTHE ROLE OF HUMOR IN LABORATORY MANAGEMENT, Wayne Collins, Thermo Electron CorporationMANAGING AND RETAINING KNOWLEDGE, Patrick Wilson, BIG-Africa Partnership Secretariat
For more information or to register, go to www.labmanagers.org.
Analytical Laboratory Managers Association27th Annual Conference
The Hard and Soft Side of Laboratory Management: Leading the People/Managing the ProcessPortland, Oregon
October 25-27, 2006
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ROCHE DIAGNOSTICS AND ATCC® SIGNGLOBAL AGREEMENTRoche Diagnostics and ATCC (American Type Culture Collection)are combining resources for the benefit of scientists worldwide byconsolidating information on transfection and cell lines routinely usedin life sciences research. The companies will work toward two objec-tives. First, ATCC will supply Roche Diagnostics a selection of gen-uine cell lines for testing with Roche Applied Science’s transfectionreagents. Both companies also will offer links on their respectivewebsites to make it easier for researchers to determine if a cell linehas been successfully transfected with such reagents.
MVA SCIENTIFIC CONSULTANTS AND MICROBACLABORATORIES ANNOUNCE ALLIANCE MVA Scientific Consultants and national testing laboratory group,Microbac Laboratories Inc., have joined forces in a strategic allianceto offer their clients additional analytical choices. As part of thealliance, Microbac will serve as MVA Scientific Consultants’ pre-ferred provider of microbiological and chemical analysis for food,environmental, and other samples. MVA will serve as Microbac’spreferred provider of forensic food microscopy and other microana-lytical services. The alliance is the first of its kind that Microbac has
undertaken and will involve the participation of all of its laboratoryoperations across the country.
NHGRI AWARDS $54 MILLION TO THREE CENTERS OFEXCELLENCE IN GENOMIC SCIENCEThe National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part ofthe National Institutes of Health (NIH), announced grants totaling$54 million over five years to establish one new Center ofExcellence in Genomic Science (CEGS) and continue support fortwo existing centers. The CEGS program pulls together multi-institu-tion, interdisciplinary teams of scientists with the goal of making criti-cal advances in genomic research. With the original centers’ five-year awards slated to end this fall, NHGRI will renew the awardsfor the Microscale Life Sciences Center at the University ofWashington, Seattle,WA; and the Yale Center of Excellence inGenomic Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT. Each center willreceive $18 million over the next five years. In addition, NHGRIawarded $18 million over five years to create a new CEGS at theCalifornia Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, which will becalled the Center for In Toto Genomic Analysis of VertebrateDevelopment.
POLYSCIENCES' ANNOUNCESNEW LINE OF FURAN BUILDINGBLOCKSPolysciences, Inc. announced the release of a newline of furan-based synthons for use in organicand polymer synthesis applications, including thepharmaceutical, graphic arts, agricultural,flavor/fragrance, as well as organic intermediatesindustries.
LABCYTE AWARDED 27TH U. S.PATENT DESCRIBING ACOUSTICTRANSFER FOR THE PREPARATION OFPROTEIN MICROARRAYSLabcyte, Inc. announced the issuance of U.S.Patent 7,090,333 describing the use of acousticdroplet ejection (ADE) for the preparation ofmicroarrays of proteins and peptides. ADE usessound to move fluids, eliminating all physical con-tact with the liquid transferred. This disposes of theneed for pin tools, pipettes, and nozzles that arecurrently used to make protein arrays and areknown to cause loss of protein due to adsorptionon the device surfaces. ADE is also extremely pre-cise with the coefficient of variation, the measureof precision, often less than a few percent even atthe nanoliter and picoliter level. ADE can eventransfer volumes as low as 25 femtoliters(0.000025 nanoliters).
©2006 by Looped Logic Lab Furniture, a subsidiary of BlackRock Trading Cos., Inc. All rights reserved.
The company that brought you a new way to buy steel labfurniture now brings you TABLESFirst we made it simple to buy steel lab furniture.Now we’re making it just as fast and easy to buy tables. Not only are our tables adjustable in height, but in an industry first, we also shipthem with adjustable depth. Choose the depthyou need now, and change it later. Order with or without phenolic resin tops, and add optionalwheels. Best of all, we ship from inventory, so you can get your tables—and cabinets, and accessories—fast.Visit loopedlogic.com for the chance to save 10%.
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labmgr.comLabManager48
news notes
pp48 9/04/06 09:42 PM Page 48
Don't Let Procrastination HOLD YOU BACK AT WORK
career
From CareerJourna l .com.
Procrastination. Who doesn't feel at least somewhat guilty about it?We all procrastinate on occasion, particularly when we dislike or feel overwhelmed by a
task at hand. But there are procrastinators who habitually immerse themselves in busy work toavoid tasks that must be done.
The penalties paid for procrastination can be as mild as paying extra interest on a chargeaccount or as harsh as getting fired or missing a career opportunity by sending in an applicationlate. The psychological price we pay ranges from minor self-guilt and irritation to intense anxietyand self-disgust. Habitual procrastination, however, keeps some people from working to theirpotential.
WHY PEOPLE PROCRASTINATEIf your to-do list continues to grow longer rather than shrink, the first step is to identify the typesof projects or situations that suck you into the swamp of inaction. If you can't pinpoint an exactcause, or if you find procrastination difficult to eradicate, psychological issues may be involved.
Most often, procrastination represents a form of fear. It's a symptom of anticipating criticaljudgment or a perceived threat. The most prevalent is fear of failure.
Fear of FailureFailure-fearers usually avoid important projects and busy themselves with routine, familiar tasks.When something important is at stake, they have trouble concentrating, voice all kinds ofexcuses, or complain about obstacles that stand in the way. They tend to overestimate the diffi-culties involved and underestimate their own abilities to resolve them. As a result they vacillate,delay, or give only half-hearted effort.
PerfectionismMany perfectionists also put off tasks because they fear failure. In contrast to failure-fearers, how-ever, they set exceedingly high standards and overambitious goals. Aiming too low would be tan-tamount to being judged just average or mediocre.
Another aspect of perfectionism is the misplaced attempt to do everything perfectly, regard-less of its importance. They treat even trivial matters so thoroughly that they miss importantdeadlines. Perfectionists can't set priorities or determine which tasks require minimum or maxi-mum effort.
A typical perfectionist case is that of a staff analyst assigned to prepare a brief review ofU.S.-French trade problems. He produced an exhaustive, meticulously researched 50-page study.Instead of being commended he was reprimanded by his boss for not spending more time onhigher priority projects.
If you have a tendency to put disproportionate effort into tasks, ask yourself these questions:1. Do the means really suit the ends?2. Do the results on this project warrant the time and effort put into it?3. Are there easier, less rigorous ways to accomplish it?4. What could be the consequences, both positive and negative, of using a less exacting
approach?
Eugene Raudsepp
>>
NO
TEBOO
K
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Fear of SuccessWhile people who have a marked fear of failure prefer toretreat by endless procrastination, success-fearers welcomechallenging assignments. But as soon as they've made anysignificant progress, they feel compelled to check them-selves and cast about for ways of postponing additionalwork. Many of them are quite cunning and elaborate in theexcuses they employ.
REMEDIESUnderstanding why you procrastinate is helpful, but thatalone isn't enough to overcome the problem. You musthave a strong desire to rescue yourself and be willing to gettough if need be.
The following methods have been helpful for curingprocrastination. Choose those techniques that seem towork best for you. Be diligent in applying them. The pointisn't only to be aware of alternative methods, but to findmore efficient ways of handling the projects that get put offuntil the next day. Chances are that applying just a few ofthese practical suggestions will release your energies foraction.
Delay gratification. M. Scott Peck, a psychiatrist andauthor of "The Road Less Traveled" (Buccanear Books,1995) recommends delaying gratification by experiencingthe pain first and getting it over with. He feels that it is"the only decent way to live."
He reached this conclusion after working for severalmonths with a 30-year-old financial analyst who was lockedinto a cycle of procrastination on her job.
Dr. Peck and his client analyzed her attitudes towardher parents, job, boss, her own ability, and her possible fearof success. To no avail.
Finally, Dr. Peck asked her, "Do you like cake?" Shereplied that she did.
"What part of the cake do you like better, the cake orthe frosting?"
"Oh, the frosting!""And how do you eat a piece of cake?""I eat the frosting first, of course."Having gained this insight, Dr. Peck started probing
her work habits. Invariably she would devote the first houror so of each day to the most gratifying and easiest of hertasks and the remaining six hours getting around—butnever quite accomplishing—the more onerous tasks.
Dr. Peck suggested she force herself to do the objec-tionable tasks during the first two hours, then enjoy theremaining time. She acted on his advice and no longer pro-crastinates.
Identify action steps. Sometimes it's difficult to knowhow to start a complex project. Successful execution beginswith a series of specific actions: doing research, collectinginformation, writing letters or memos, calling or seeing peo-ple, assigning responsibilities, holding meetings, reading
reports, etc.As a first step, list as many specific tasks as you can.
Next, organize the tasks and establish an action sequence.Third, set deadlines for tasks and draw up a master list—acontinuous, single listing of everything that must be done.The tasks are then transferred each day to your daily list ofthings to do.
Breaking the project into feasible units and taking it insmall doses lessens the drudgery. Some people allow asmany sessions as it takes to complete the job, but they limiteach to just one hour.
Sitting down to a well-defined work interval helps.You know that there's an end in sight. Open-ended ses-sions, on the other hand, usually magnify the scope of theproject and induce a mood of discouragement.
Make an arbitrary move. If you're unable to establisha satisfactory starting point, make an arbitrary openingmove. For example, if you can't decide whether to break areport into several parts, proceed as if the report won't bedivided and make a beginning. You soon will discover ifyour approach is right, and if it isn't right, you can makethe necessary changes.
Build mini-completions. When there is no prospect ofimmediate results or benefits, it's useful to build mini-com-pletions. Starting a project that can't be completed forweeks or months can be exceedingly difficult. Motivateyourself to make a beginning and provide the necessarygratification by establishing interim completion points.
The Swiss-cheese method. When faced with anoverwhelming or complex project, most people feel theymust have a big block of time available before they tackleit. Since big blocks of time are rare, they put the projectoff until pressure from a deadline makes them finally diveinto it.
As an alternative, Alan Lakein, the author of "How toGet Control of Your Time and Your Life," (New AmericanLibrary, 1996) suggests turning overwhelming projects intoSwiss cheese by poking holes in them.
Think of several easy instant tasks that can be done infive minutes. If, for example, the project is writing a report,instant tasks might be organizing the necessary data, mak-ing a phone call to gather more information, or getting aco-worker's input.
According to Mr. Lakein, whenever you have a fewminutes, do one of the instant tasks. You may find you getinvolved and spend more than five minutes, or that theproject isn't as overwhelming as you expected. In that case,you're well on your way to completing it.
If the project still seems overwhelming, continue withthe instant tasks. After several mini-task sessions, you willknow about how much time the project will take. Thishelps you schedule enough blocks of time to complete itbefore the deadline.
Divide large tasks. This means choosing tasks thatwill fill the time available. For example, if you have a three-
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hour time slot, tackle one big task rather than several small-er jobs.
Sometimes the only time available is before or afterwork, or on weekends. One engineer produced the neces-sary documentation for a radically new design for a motoron alternate Sunday mornings between 6 and 8 a.m. — hisonly free time. And New York Times reporter Jane Brodyclaims to have completed a 50-page book working from 5 to6:30 a.m. on weekday mornings.
Delegate. When faced with a routine or unpleasanttask, it sometimes is possible to assign the project — orparts of it--to a subordinate. There also are many outsideservices that can be hired to do time-consuming, routinework.
Some people swap tasks they dislike with a colleaguewho doesn't mind them, and do for the colleague tasks hefinds objectionable. Ask yourself, “Is it more important thatI do this job, or that it gets done?”
Use the penalty method. Alan Rosenberg, a lawyerand psychiatrist, advises procrastinators to use the “pester-
ing-and-penalty method.” “Play a game with yourself,” hesays, “make up minor penalties, such as missing a TV show,and penalize yourself if you still haven't finished the job. Orask a colleague to remind you of a task at certain intervals,and have him pester you until you've done it.”
Reward yourself. It’s important that you provide yourown positive reinforcement. Give yourself a treat whenyou've completed the job. This can be anything from a newCD to a trip to the mountains or a game of racquetball.
Some people who find it particularly difficult to breakthe procrastination block reward progress after 30 minutesor an hour of work. These rewards could be reading afavorite magazine or talking to a congenial colleague--any-thing that you enjoy or that makes you feel good.
This article is reprinted by permission fromCareerJournal.com © 2006 Dow Jones & Co. Inc. All rightsreserved.
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human fac to r s
Your great research or business idea won’t beimplemented unless you convince your super-visor, coworkers, and funding sponsors that itis feasible and will be profitable. Failure toaccomplish this is the main reason excellentideas fall by the wayside.
Tap the same creativity you used to con-ceive your idea in order to sell it. Begin bydescribing your idea in a dated "Note to File"or in your laboratory notebook. This will pro-tect you should someone else try to take creditfor your idea. Then discuss your idea with yourcoworkers and supervisor. Veteran employeesin particular may have valuable insights basedon previous company efforts in related areas.Opinions of successful innovators are particu-larly valuable. View these critiques as opportu-nities to improve your idea.
Be sure you aren't re-inventing the wheel.Has your firm studied this idea before andrejected it? Review internal reports to deter-mine this. Experienced employees can oftentell you if your idea has come up before. If asimilar idea was rejected, find out why. Thereasons may no longer be valid. Then researchthe public literature; see if another organiza-tion has put your idea into practice. Checkthe patent literature as well.
Armed with this information, decidewhether to continue. If you do, refine andclarify your idea. Try to turn it into a networkof related ideas. Then, if one aspect of youridea doesn't develop as desired, others maystill be feasible. Just as lack of muscle defini-tion seldom wins body-building contests, anidea without technical and commercial defini-tion will seldom win management approval.Estimate the time, effort, and funding neededto develop your idea.
Be sure your idea fits your employer's busi-ness culture. For instance, a commodity manu-facturer is unlikely to implement a great ideafor a new specialty product. Ideally, youremployer is already successful in the marketswhere your product would be sold.
Now you begin to sell your idea in earnest.Start by selling the "thought leaders" in yourcompany. These are people with their owntrack records of successful innovation. Theiropinions carry weight with corporate decisionmakers. Their support can add greatly to youridea's credibility.
Informally talk to people to whom you areselling your idea. This "pre-selling" before for-mally submitting your idea can help you tailorthe proposal to your employer's needs. Pre-selling makes it easier to anticipate questionsand concerns when you formally try to sellyour idea. This formal proposal should includeboth oral and written presentations.
It is best to make your oral presentationfirst. Then, should someone raise importantbut previously unconsidered issues during yourtalk, you can modify your written proposal todeal with them.
Present your idea in terms your businesssponsors understand. The ideal presentationtakes listeners to a point where they inde-pendently draw the same conclusions you do.Do this without burying your audience intechnical details. Start your presentation witha "hook"—a clear statement of the businessincentives to develop and commercialize youridea. Using appropriate buzzwords that fit yourcorporate culture is helpful.
A product prototype can be a great hook.3M chemist Arthur Fry used this approach tosell his "Post-it" notes idea. Fry decided heneeded some satisfied customers to convince3M managers to manufacture his product,which was based on a weak, not strong, adhe-sive. So he had prototype "Post-its" made andgave them to the secretaries of 3M executives.They loved them and wanted more. Whenthey couldn't get them, they complained totheir bosses. These executives were alreadysold before Fry began his presentation.
You probably won't be as lucky as Fry.Your audience will probably be more skepticaland have questions. Be direct in responding to
Selling Your IdeasTO MANAGEMENT
John K. Borchardt
LabManagerlabmgr.com 55
>>
newpp54-57 9/06/06 03:20 AM Page 55
these concerns. Any information you provide mustbe correct or you will damage your credibility.
Ask for commitment. Make it clear what is thenext step you are asking your business sponsor totake.
You may find you need to sell your idea instages. Be politely persistent until you get a clear"yes" or "no" answer. Be prepared for disappoint-ment. Sometimes, the right answer is "no."However, don't let your idea die due to inaction.
If management rejects your idea, keep it in yourfile. They are declining to spend the money todevelop your idea, not rejecting you personally.Your idea may be a good one submitted at a bad
time. Changes in business conditions or technolog-ical advances may make it worthwhile to resubmityour idea later. Understanding the reasons for theidea's rejection will help you determine if andwhen to do this. It will also help you when yousubmit other ideas.
Dr. Borchardt is a consultant and technical writer.The author of the book “Career Management forScientists and Engineers,” he writes often on career-related subjects. He can be reached [email protected].
labmgr.comLabManager56
Lab Bratz © 2005-2006 Edward Dunphy http://LabBratz.comicgenesis.com
A2LA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34ACIL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30Assn. for Laboratory Automation . . . .52ALMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46BH, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Baker Company, The . . . . . . . . . . . . .53Eastern Analytical Symposium . . . . . .57Fine Science Tools, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . .13Fisher Scientific . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28FRANEK Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . .51Grace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54GTCbio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47Kodak Molecular Imaging . . . . . . . . .60Looped Logic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48Matrix Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
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newpp54-57 9/06/06 03:20 AM Page 56
• We showcase the latest innovations inscientific instrumentation and technologyat our exposition.
• We have diversity and depthof interest.
• We are conveniently located just 30 minutes away from a major international airport.
Please visit us at our website for information on our programs and registration.
www.eas.org • [email protected]
Why Eastern Analytical Symposium This November?• We are the second largest conference
and exposition for laboratory science inthe United States.
• We offer high quality cutting-edgetechnical sessions.
• We have state-of-the-artshort courses, workshopsand seminars.
Celebrating theDiversity of Science
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November 13–16, 2006November 13–16, 2006
2006 Eastern Analytical Symposium and Exposition
newnew 57-60 9/06/06 10:40 PM Page 57
t he in te r v iew
Lauren McNew admittedly came out of the chute pretty fast, “always the kid in the gifted oradvanced program.” Captivated by marine life as a child, she showed an early knack for cata-loguing her universe, soon able to identify more than 250 species of tropical fish by sight. “But I
realized the thing you love is not always the best career,” she said. “I was afraid I might not love it anymore.”Now, at 26, her snorkeling excursions are squeezed by the demands of her new job managing the microbial
identification lab at Accugenix in Newark, DE, sandwiched by commutes to Towson State University north ofBaltimore, where she expects to earn a master’s degree in cell and molecular biology in December 2007, and a week-ly “date night” with her husband, where “we don’t talk about work.”
Yes, it’s a juggling act. To keep all those balls in the air, one must prove nimble.“I think women are more dexterous, both mentally and physically, with a wonderful, meticulous detailed nature
that shines through in the lab,” said McNew. “We’re a little more keen about working with very small volumes. AndI’ve seen a trend toward more women in the lab, and more women pursuing biology degrees.”
McNew’s ride on the fast track has not been without its war stories. At 22, she was managing a male staff withmilitary backgrounds in a government bio-defense test lab. Her supervisor, in order to dispel allegations that hefavored her, summoned McNew to a group meeting and proceeded to “criticize all my shortcomings in front of thegroup, without giving me advanced warning. So I packed up and went home, came back the next day and told himto never do that again. He thought I was being hypersensitive – like toughen up, soldier!”
So she soldiered on and filed it away under “what not to repeat.” McNew’s managerial style — “my pseudomentor” — is an amalgam of the best and worst of the bosses she’s encountered.
Upon becoming lab manager at Accugenix this past summer, McNew found herself overseeing a “sisterhood”— an all-female staff of ten technicians and assistants. The company provides a range of microbial identificationservices for multi-national clients in the pharmaceutical, biotech, and cosmetic industries.
Her managerial style is malleable and “different at each company I work. The most difficult part of manage-ment is identifying and understanding what style works best for each individual.”
To assess the capabilities of her staff, McNew is at her lab bench daily. “Working alongside the techs also helpsme identify areas of the laboratory process that require improvement, and helps me gain the trust and confidence ofmy staff. I like show my support for the staff by acting” on grievances and requests.
“A happy lab is a lab where things get done, and when people are happy they do their best work.”As the third youngest in the lab, she makes no apologies for her relative youth. Her managerial style was influenced by the mishaps of a previous boss “who was working so hard to please both
her upper management and her employees that she sent mixed signals to both sides,” which impaired lab productivi-ty.
“My ideal world is to have everybody in the lab trained to do everything,” said McNew, who is overhauling herlab’s job descriptions, “so we can cover whatever happens.” Companies tend to “pigeonhole employees who do onething really well. Giving employees the opportunity to grow and learn something new keeps them coming back.”
McNew has no regrets about her career choice. Whereas marine biology “has limited job opportunities” owingto its “specialized nature,” molecular applications are “evolving. With better technology, scientists are learning abouthow the recipe of organisms determines their function. The need for environmental monitoring grows with ourdependence on pharmaceutical manufacturing.”
Nor does she mind elbowing what she calls the “Old Boys Network.”“Scientific fields are frequently dominated by highly educated men who are less secure with knowledgeable
women playing a significant role than knowledgeable men. I hope to act as a role model for young women in sci-ence.”
McNew aspires to move into upper-management. If that happens, listen for the laughter from the board room.“Humor,” she said, “is the one thing that bridges all the gaps between everybody.”
So who’s the joker-in-residence in McNew’s lab?“I think I’m the clown.”
Francis Key Kidder started out as a journalist before moving on to politics and government relations, where he still keeps his hand in writing. He may be reached at 410-828-6529; [email protected].
F. Key Kidder
Lauren McNewLaboratory ManagerAccugenix, Inc.
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