3 Trends that Are Shaping the Future of Laboratories

Laboratories are crucial to the scientific development of conceptual and theoretical knowledge to help learn through scientific experiments and methods. When it comes to science, nothing stays the same for long. Trends move at a fast pace in the science and technology sector, and laboratories are a big part of that.

This piece will discuss three of the trends that are shaping the future of laboratories.

 “Automation saves technicians time, by sparing repeated experiments.”

Automation is the Future

Automation has so many benefits in many fields, but in science, the benefits of automation are tenfold. Cost efficiency, the option of scalability, and improved data quality are all great benefits of automation, but perhaps the most important is the time saved by removing the need for manual repetitive experiments. As time goes on, demand only increases, and automation has a much better chance of keeping up with that demand than technicians could.  

Automation will be the future for a lot of sectors, but interestingly, it is predicted to be a big part of the advancement of laboratories. 

It is foreseen that robots and automated devices will be handling over half of the tasks that are at the moment completed manually by 2025. By 2026, the market for liquid handling robots is said to exceed a worth of 7 billion. This means that understanding automation could be a future proof career move in the world of tech and science too.

 “A more flexible approach to a laboratory space can facilitate collaboration.”

Fresh Designs for Collaboration and Flexibility

It is becoming more and more obvious that collaboration fuels results, and working together brings impressive results. The structure of laboratories is set to change, creating a more flexible workspace. The designs will ideally encourage interaction between colleagues and also accommodate varying types of research, which means flexible electrical outlets and equipment spaces, mobile workspaces such as benches, and the freedom to move around a lab.

 “A goal is to make laboratories a place where people want to work!”

A Concentration on Recruiting and Retaining Technicians

According to Life Sciences Outlook, biopharmaceutical companies are interested in a future where they are close to highly regarded academic centers. This makes sense, as companies would thrive with the help of professional resources. Both laboratory and data scientists on hand would really push companies further, and having services such as a biopharma stability testing laboratory close by can only increase efficiency and productivity.

This kind of onsite or close by collaboration could spell some really interesting outcomes for the future.

With this goal in mind, it is important that laboratories are an attractive proposition, along with energising workplaces, where technicians will want to stay. Retaining employees also means they retain those who grow and learn with the company, keeping hold of valuable skills. 

Long gone will be the days where laboratories are pictured as dark and dingy cramped spaces, but are celebrated as state of the art spaces which inspire creativity, facilitate the wellbeing of employees and become an attractive place to work in.