0.6 Building your lab

Workshop Authors: James McNew (BCB), Qilin Li (CEVE), Corey Wilson (CalTech), Shelly Harvey (Math)

Slide 1: building your lab

• Space
• Equipment
• Personnel

Slide 2: physical space

• Moving into existing space
• Lab remodels
• New building space

Slide 3: existing space

• Is the space adequate for your needs?
  • Proximity to colleagues
  • Access to Dept/University equipment
  • Proper Air/Vacuum/Water for equipment
  • Hoods (chemical and tissue culture)
  • Air handling and vibration
• Does it have desk space for students and postdocs?
• Is office space separate?

Slide 4: build or remodel

• Is the space adequate for your needs?
• Start early
• Do the research
• Set a bottom line
• Be actively involved in the process

Slide 5: start early

• It usually takes 6-12 months to build or remodel a lab
• Specify a desired date of completion during the negotiation
• Contact equipment vendors (for specs)
• Consider options for teaching or grant writing efforts until the space is complete
• Identify temporary space for lab work

Slide 6: do the research

• Visit state-of-the-art labs
• Site visit
  • Meet your project manager
  • Location: avoid location-specific problems that affect your research, e.g., vibration, freight elevator availability, etc.
  • Infrastructure: air conditioning, ventilation, DI water system, gas lines, etc.
  • Ask people who know the lab
• Collect information on equipment
  • power requirement
  • heat generation
  • waste generation
  • Other needs for equipment: gases, water, etc.
• Leave space for future expansion
  • Predict future equipment needs

Slide 7: set a bottom line

• Make a list of “must” and “must not” and be firm
• Do not expect future improvement
• Take into consideration future research needs
• Consider options for teaching or grant writing efforts until the space is complete
• Identify temporary space for lab work

Slide 8: be actively involved

• Why
  • You know your needs the best.
  • Good communication avoids mistakes.
• What
  • Project schedule and progress
  • Specific information on equipment
  • Special needs
• How
  • Follow the progress
  • Communicate with the contractors

Slide 9: equipment and supplies

• Equipment purchase
  • Be aware of available discount, e.g., “New lab set up” programs at large vendors like Fisher and VWR
  • Negotiate with many vendors
  • Usually 1-3 months of lead time for major equipment
• Supplies
  • Package as much as you can with each major vendor
  • Negotiate with many vendors
  • Consider larger quantities of items you know you will need
    • This is the biggest discount you will ever get on things you buy
    • Consider storage of large quantities

Slide 10: populating your lab

• Technical Staff
• Graduate students vs. postdocs
  • How available are students?
  • How difficult is it to recruit post-docs?
  • Are technicians the best use of limited resources?
  • What Dept/University funding mechanisms are available for students or post-docs?

Slide 11: lab personnel

• Personnel Management
• Establishing a “lab culture” is very important
• Be proactive in addressing potential personnel conflicts
  • No one wants to work in a caustic or poisonous lab environment
• Lead by example