Sample Science Blog

Organ donation is the first step in giving life and hope back to patients who are desperately waiting for a transplant. Securing a match between a donated organ and a patient is the next step.

Countless choices can make it difficult to decide on a small item. But when you are trying to select biobanking inventory management software for your samples – your decision becomes significant.

Vaccines are some of the most valuable biological materials that clinicians produce and use. Vaccines help prevent serious health issues for millions each year, however much of the vaccines lost are due to degradation that occurs when they warm during vaccine transport. Extreme weather, natural disasters, and other emergencies can put laboratories at risk and can render vaccine storage systems vulnerable to failure. Whether transporting vaccines or putting them in storage, it is essential for laboratories and manufacturers to have built-in security measures and a continuity plan in case of a natural disaster or other catastrophic events.

Did you know that researchers can only reuse clinical samples for future studies if participants give informed consent to do so? Most scientists do not. Informed consent is imperative to be able to reuse the sample for future use.

In the event a temporary facility shutdown interrupts a laboratory’s operation, it is imperative to maintain the viability of biological sample collections and minimize downtime.  

Whether it is an electrical upgrade or scheduled equipment maintenance, detailed preparation goes into every step of a project.  
 

Large volume dry shipper containers are commonly used in Life Science applications to ship large collections of biological material that need to be maintained at cryogenic temperatures. These specially designed containers utilize liquid nitrogen to keep samples cold, while special absorbent medium helps prevent liquid nitrogen outflow. This feature helps maintain biological sample integrity while ensuring the safety of both users and transporters.  

With advances in internet technology, most biological laboratories and businesses now have automated backups for their electronic data. However, many of the same laboratories have all their biological samples and materials stored in the same location, or perhaps split across different freezers in the same building or on the same campus. While using multiple freezers in one location may protect samples if a freezer fails, in the event of a natural disaster or extended power outage, samples may be lost. Similar problems can occur during the transport of precious biological samples or materials; when all important samples are in the same container or truck, however working with an experienced lab relocation specialist, many safeguards are in place. Investigators can work with a sample management company to develop a business continuity and disaster recovery plan to protect their material following an emergency event.

As pharmaceutical and biological research increases, biorepositories are becoming an important component of many research programs. Biorepositories store and catalog biological samples for future use, so it is essential that biorepositories follow current management best-practices and meet stringent regulatory requirements for the handling and use of biological specimens, particularly when human subjects are involved.

Lab chemicals are an essential part of many research laboratories, and chemical transport is often a component of laboratory moving and maintenance. While many chemicals are harmless, some fall into the category of hazardous materials. Legal compliance when relocating potentially hazardous chemicals requires planning, care, and expertise in USDOT regulations.