Although the basic concepts and techniques of Lean are straightforward, adapting them to a particular lab situation and integrating them into a defined process that uses resources well is quite a challenge.

Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) are essential tools for managing data for QA/QC/Process labs throughout the chemical and petroleum industries.

Dr. Hakim Djaballah, director of the High-Throughput Screening (HTS) Core Facility at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, talks about his experiences setting up a screening lab in an academic environment.

CompuChem, a division of Liberty Analytical based in Cary, North Carolina, recently improved sample delivery, measurement protocol and rinse-out times by coupling a rapid sampling system with an ICP-MS system, reducing the time required to analyze a typical CLP sample by 80 percent.