The Association for Laboratory Automation (ALA), a multi-disciplinary, non-profit scientific association spanning diverse industries and technology sectors welcomed 4,113 participants from around the world to LabAutomation2010, Jan. 23-27, Palm Springs Convention Center, Palm Springs, CA, USA. LabAutomation is the world’s leading conference and exhibition focusing on emerging laboratory automation technologies.

ALA continued its tradition of delivering an exceptional conference experience with LabAutomation2010. During the five-day event educational highlights included the top 100 podium presentations from across the field of laboratory automation, 18 short courses, 200 poster presentations, 18 industry-sponsored workshops and four special sessions and market place briefings. Special sessions focused on hot topics such as India’s emerging pharmaceutical market, equipment purchasing trends in North America, and European standardization efforts regarding laboratory automation.

“The feedback on LabAutomation2010 has been overwhelmingly positive and is extremely gratifying to ALA and to the members of the LabAutomation2010 Scientific Committee,” said Robyn Rourick, LabAutomation2010 Conference Chair. “This year’s special sessions and market place briefings as well as the outstanding plenary series added to an already strong educational program. We couldn’t be more pleased.”

LabAutomation2010 plenary speakers included R. Graham Cooks of Purdue University; Hod Lipson of Cornell University; Kei Koizumi of the White House Office of Science and Technology; and Bruce Sterling, American science fiction novelist and blogger.

LabAutomation2010 participants enjoyed a robust exhibition including approximately 400 booths showcasing technologies from nearly 250 multi-national companies, including 40 first-time exhibitors, and featuring more than 20 new product launches.

“LabAutomation2010 carried forward with the momentum set at previous LabAutomation conferences and exhibitions,” said ALA President, Malcolm Crook. “Last year, LabAutomation2009 surprised us all with its resounding success given the global economy. This year, LabAutomation2010 outperformed even that success. The educational program was as strong as ever and the exhibit floor was filled with energy.”

Now in its fourth year, Innovation AveNEW welcomed eight leading-edge start-up companies to the LabAutomation2010 exhibition:
 

• BSSN Software, Mainz, Germany
• CellASIC, San Leandro, CA, USA
• Curiox Biosystems, Singapore
• Cynora GmbH, Leopoldshafen, Germany
• Delta Robotics, Berne, Switzerland
• Dotmatics Limited, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
• Live Cell Assays, Martinez, CA, USA
• NanoEngineering Corp, West Palm Beach, FL, USA
   

The New Product Award (NPA) Designation competition recognizes the best of what’s new in the exhibit hall. NPA winners are judged by a diverse panel of scientific specialists. LabAutomation2010 NPA winners include:

- ArtusLabs – Method Genius
- Beckman Coulter – SPRIworks
- Emerald Biosystems – MPCS Plug Maker

LabAutomation participants include academic, commercial and government researchers, scientists and engineers from around the globe who conduct research and develop new technologies to increase productivity, elevate experimental data quality, reduce lab process cycle times, or enable experimentation that otherwise would be impossible. Students and young professionals are also well represented. ALA awarded 46 Academic Travel Awards to students and post-docs who authored poster or podium presentations.

In a special moment at the conference, ALA Charter Member Gary Kramer and ALA Co-Founder Dave Herold announced the renaming of the ALA Academic Travel Award to the Tony B. Award in honor of ALA Co-Founder Tony Beugelsdijk, Los Alamos National Laboratory, who passed away in August, 2009.

Laboratory automation professionals are already looking forward to LabAutomation2011 in Palm Springs, CA, January 29 – February 2, 2011. Chad Mirkin, Ph.D., Northwestern University, will headline the event as one of several plenary series speakers. Mirkin is a world-renowned chemist and member of the White House Science Technology Advisory Council.

For more information on LabAutomation2010 or LabAutomation2011, visit www.labautomation.org.

Source: The Chemist's Toolbox