Are you motivated? Is everyone motivated? Yes or no? Take a look around your lab.

Michael Noble, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of British Columbia and chair of the Program Office for Laboratory Quality Management, emphasizes that while increased awareness, education and standardization of information and protocols have helped improve laboratory quality, people still need to be reminded that the pursuit of quality is a commitment that needs constant time, effort and money. 

Last year I wrote a column about how “soft skills” are required to succeed in virtually every business today. Even in the sciences, a career path that has traditionally allowed insular personalities to thrive, soft skills are more important than ever.

Following this procedure does several things. It forces you to decide what the rules and policies are going to be, shows everyone that you are concerned about health and safety, and keeps a permanent record of your safety standards.

“The year 2011 was tumultuous for the laboratory industry. In comparison, the outlook for 2012 looks only slightly positive. Laboratory decision makers generally expect their funding conditions either to remain the same or to minimally improve.”

This column will focus on ethylene oxide, a frequently used and potentially dangerous sterilizing agent. Also known as EtO or EO, it is highly compatible with today’s polymer-based single-use medical devices, procedure kits, surgical trays, etc.

“Steve Jobs, technologist and tastemaker of modern digital culture, described himself as a captain of product design inspiring his teams of workers, as he once said, to go ‘beyond what anyone thought possible’ and to do ‘some great work, really great work that will go down in history.’”

Our six experts from both industry and acadmia provide their thoughts on HPLC systems in this Q&A, commenting on which systems work best for them, and more.

When the individual’s supervisor offers emotional and instrumental support, a stressed employee is more likely to recover without needing to take that extra afternoon or day off.

Laboratories are filled with hazardous chemicals, biological materials, animals, and equipment. It’s often the responsibility of lab managers to make sure everyone in their lab completes the various safety training, inventory, and individual registration requirements.