Lab Talks

In this quick interview, we invited Rory Macneil, the CEO of ResearchSpace to join us and share some insights into how labs adopt digital tools and make the best use of them. While discussing some important things to consider before choosing a digital tool for your R&D lab we also covered topics like integration, collaboration, and the importance that lab culture has on the adoption of digital tools.

In this panel discussion, we talked about topics such as advancements and new discoveries in the nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy field with some special guest speakers, and also gave tips on best practices in usage to allow you to get the most out of your NMR equipment. Guest speakers: Johanna Becker-Baldus - Goethe University Frankfurt Elwin Janssen - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Konstantin Luzyanin - University of Liverpool

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the nature of collaboration in all industries, and scientific research is one of them. Where scientists could previously work together in one lab, restrictions may have been placed on capacities, therefore affecting the dynamic and forcing them to adopt new methods. While the restrictions may now be decreasing, which new remote technologies will be staying with scientists in the future and which will be abandoned? In our 6th Lab Talk panel, we will be discussing how collaboration and teamwork in scientific labs have changed since the pandemic and any ways in which remote technology and other factors have impacted this.

While the replication crisis can be a commonly mentioned issue, the background and causes of it may not be clear to all. Originating in the early 2010s, the term replication crisis refers to the fact that findings of many types of scientific research are often difficult or even impossible to replicate due to one or multiple issues raising concerns about the credibility of the findings. Along with this, the accuracy of existing scientific findings as well the matter of following correct procedure may be questioned. Guest speakers: Claudio Rolli - CEO Fluics Connect Daniele Fanelli - Fellow in Quantitative Methodology at LSE Karina Caetano Souza - Research student at Cranfield University

While most people won't experience much AI in their daily lives besides song or film recommendations, scientists and researchers regularly use it to explore much broader horizons in their work. While full AI utilisation across a body of research can be a difficult and lengthy process, it could potentially boost scientific discoveries across many fields. However, much like with any other tool used in research, both the added value and the negative aspects need to be considered when it comes to AI and machine learning. In our 4th panel discussion in the Lab Talks series we have discussed the opportunities and threats brought to the scientific community by AI and machine learning as well as what the future might hold for it.

Creating a collaborative environment and streamlining resources can play a big part in increasing productivity and shared labs can have a big role in the process. While helping save costs and share knowledge, using shared resources can come with certain challenges as well. In this Lab Talk we discussed the benefits and challenges of shared laboratories, tips in managing them and had a look at what the future of sharing resources might look like. Guest speakers: Natalia Van Vloten - ABI-LAB (United States) Ursula Arndt - Illumina Accelerator Cambridge (United Kingdom) Shai Melcer - BIOHOUSE (Israel)

Being based on the foundation of thoughts and inventions, working in science can have a big impact on one's mind. While mental health problems and illnesses can affect any member of the society, scientists and researchers are no exception as well. These days more than ever it is critical to acknowledge, recognise and support mental health issues as well as remove any stigmas surrounding them. In our 2nd webinar for the Lab Talks series we discussed the mental health situation in the scientific world, the importance of addressing it and ways it can be improved. Guest speakers: Joanna Grace Shaw Julieann Tate Kimberly Holtz

With a year into the COVID-19 pandemic many fields of activity had to adapt, and scientific research was no exception. From shifting research focus to managing working safely, it was a challenging year with many big breakthroughs. As well as the changes to everyday life, the public views towards science has also shifted. The first webinar in our Lab Talks series discussed society's perception of scientific research and how it changed along with the pandemic. Guest speakers: Dr. Kieron Flanagan, Senior Lecturer in Science and Technology Policy at University of Manchester Manuel Nery Nina, Partner and Innovation Director at SNAP! Partners and Co-founder and CCO at GoParity Prof. Caroline Wagner, Associate Professor of International Affairs at Ohio State University