Signs Your Team Is in Trouble

December 2015 Volume 10 Number 11

LabManager.com

INSIGHTS on Digital PCR

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4 Lab Manager December 2015 LabManager.com

contentsDecember 2015LabManager.com

technology28 Five Trends in Life Science Lab Instrumentation

Robotic and motion technologies help labs stay small, agile, and cost-efficient. Brian Handerhan and Mike Szesterniak

health & safety30 Out of Control

Tips for handling controlled substances.Vince McLeod

feature10 Labs Less Ordinary

Meet five researchers who arent afraid to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty for the sake of science.Trevor Henderson

business management18 Sustainable Science

Changes that can benefit both the environment and your budget.Joe Arteaga and Doug Wernerspach

leadership & staffing24 The Subtle Signs Your Team Is in Trouble

Creating an open, safe work environment is the key to healthy employee relations.Rachel Muenz

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6 Lab Manager December 2015 LabManager.com

Lab Manager (ISSN: 1931-3810) is published 11 times per year; monthly with combined issues in January/Feb-ruary, by LabX, P.O. Box 216, 478 Bay Street, Midland, ON Canada L4R 1K9. USPS 024-188 Periodical Postage Paid at Fulton, MO 65251 and at an additional mailing office. A requester publication, Lab Manager, is distributed to qualified subscribers. Non-qualified subscription rates in the U.S. and Canada: $120 per year. All other countries: $180 per year, payable in U.S. funds. Back issues may be purchased at a cost of $15 each in the U.S. and $20 else-where. While every attempt is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its employees cannot accept responsibility for the correctness of information supplied, advertisements or opinions ex-pressed. 2013 Lab Manager by Geocalm Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission from the publisher.

WDS Canadian return: P.O. Box 216, 478 Bay Street, Midland, ON Canada L4R 1K9.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Lab Manager, PO Box 2015, Skokie, Il 60076.

IS YOUR LAB EXTRAORDINARY?This months cover story focuses on labs that definitely dont fit the stereotype of your typical research facility, which many of us picture as being full of white-coated scientists fiddling with complex gadgets and bubbling beakers. After hearing the great stories from the five labs we interviewed for this cover story, we thought it would be a good idea to make Labs Less Ordinary into a regular feature in which we focus on one unusual lab per issue. If your lab could be considered out of the ordinary, please feel free to contact us about being featured in this new section.

laboratory product reportsdecember 2015

analytical tools & techniques

life science tools & techniques

laboratory tools & techniques

in every issue

LabManager.com

36 Ask the ExpertA discussion on chromatography data system integration.

Rachel Muenz

38 INSIGHTS on Food SafetyInfrastructure to ultraviolet light provide opportunities to improve the food industry. Mike May

42 pH MetersTaking the lab outdoors. Angelo DePalma

45 Chromatography Columns SurveyFind out the most common phases used and more in our latest survey results. Trevor Henderson

46 Ask the ExpertA discussion on advancing cellular imaging.

Tanuja Koppal

48 INSIGHTS on Digital PCRA quantitative, inexpensive option for research, diagnostics. Angelo DePalma

53 Homogenizers Survey Learn your peers purchasing plans and more in our latest results. Trevor Henderson

54 PipettesRepeatable accuracy depends on the right maintenance. Mike May

58 Vacuum PumpsConsiderations for high-vacuum applications. Mike May

59 Lab Water Systems Focus on life sciences. Angelo DePalma

60 Fume Hoods SurveyLearn the most sought-after features and more in these results. Trevor Henderson

61 LIMS SurveyFind out the most common setups and more in the latest results. Trevor Henderson

16 Science Matters Building on the Strengths of Your Work Family Mark Lanfear

62 How it Works Saving Resources and Simplifying Lab Management

63 Technology News The latest equipment, instruments, and system introductions to the laboratory market.

73 Pre-owned Equipment Marketplace

73 Advertisers Index

74 Lab Manager Online

AQUIOS CL FLOW CYTOMETERWhat if there was a simple way for your lab to bring the process of flow cytometry CD4 testing in-house? The Aquios CL Flow Cytometer will change the way your lab runs by allowing you to keep routine testing internal and receive results faster. Finally, the system that brings full automation and reduced costs in your lab with ultimate ease of use.

For more information, visit www.aquioscl.com

2015 Beckman Coulter, Inc. Beckman Coulter and the stylized logo are registered trademarks of Beckman Coulter, Inc.

INTRODUCING

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AQUIOS CL FLOW CYTOMETERWhat if there was a simple way for your lab to bring the process of flow cytometry CD4 testing in-house? The Aquios CL Flow Cytometer will change the way your lab runs by allowing you to keep routine testing internal and receive results faster. Finally, the system that brings full automation and reduced costs in your lab with ultimate ease of use.

For more information, visit www.aquioscl.com

2015 Beckman Coulter, Inc. Beckman Coulter and the stylized logo are registered trademarks of Beckman Coulter, Inc.

INTRODUCING

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8 Lab Manager December 2015 LabManager.com

editor-in-chief Pamela Ahlberg pam@labmanager.com 973.729.6538

associate editor Rachel Muenz rachelm@labmanager.com 888.781.0328 x233

technology editor Trevor Henderson thenderson@labmanager.com 888.781.0328 x291

contributors

Angelo DePalma, PhD Mark Lanfear Sara Goudarzi Tanuja Koppal, PhD F. Key Kidder Joe Liscouski Vince McLeod, CIH Ronald B. Pickett Bernard Tulsi Mike May, PhD

art director & production manager Greg Brewer gregb@labmanager.com 888.781.0328 x241

senior designer Danielle Gibbons danielleg@labmanager.com 888.781.0328 x237

business coordinator Andrea Cole andreac@labmanager.com 888.781.0328 x296

audience development manager Brian McGann bmcgann@labmanager.com 917.678.7082

custom article reprints The YGS Group labmanager@theygsgroup.com 800.290.5460 717.505.9701 x100

subscription customer service

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advertising account managers June Kafato Key Accounts junek@labmanager.com 705.812.2332

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Stephanie McFadden Northeast/Canada smcfadden@labmanager.com 888.781.0328 x300

Published by LabX Media Group president Bob Kafato bobk@labmanager.com 888.781.0328 x223

managing partner Mario Di Ubaldi mariod@labmanager.com 203.858.6207

general manager Ken Piech kenp@labmanager.com 888.781.0328 x226

publisher Edward Neeb edwardn@labmanager.com 203.448.0728

editors note

With the holidays upon us, most are looking forward to enjoying time away from the lab or office with friends and family. One week later well be swapping out our filled-up 2015 calendars for empty 2016 oneslooking back at whats been and forward to whats ahead. With that exercise come the inevi