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LabManagerWhere Science and Management Meet™
Software ScientistsUsing Hydrogen for GC
Outsourcing Kinase Profiling Are You Still Synthesizing Oligos?
®MAGAZINE
INSID
E:
February 2007 Volume 2 • Number 2
www.labmgr.com
pp1 1/16/07 02:50 AM Page 1
The world leader in
analytical instrumentation.
The world leader in serving science
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Some things just go great together. Like the merger
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in the lab together, now we’ve created the world
leader in serving science.
Our new brand – Thermo Scientific – stands
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solutions spanning sample preparation, sample
analysis, diagnostics and data interpretation.
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pp2-7 1/22/07 09:32 PM Page 2
The world leader in laboratory
supply and services.
Complements
Our famous Fisher Scientific brand stands for
choice and convenience, as well as a complete
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pp2-7 1/22/07 09:32 PM Page 3
contents
departmentsfeatures
LabManagerWhere Science and Management Meet™
®MAGAZINE
34 LAB DIAGNOSISLab Productivity from a SurprisingSourcePeter G. Coffey
51 CAREER NOTEBOOKA Reading List for Leaders on TheirWay to the Top Sarah E. Needleman
56 THE SAFETY GUYS The Last Line of Defense – PPEGlenn Ketcham, CIH and VinceMcLeod, CIH
58 HUMAN FACTORSBusiness Meeting BasicsJohn K. Borchardt
62 THE INTERVIEWPhilip Stewart, PerkinElmer LASF. Key Kidder
8 Upfront
30 Lab Agenda
42 Pittcon Showcase
49 How It Works
52 News Notes
60 LabBratz®
60 Advertiser Index
LabManager labmgr.com4
Lab Manager® Magazine (ISSN: 1931-3810) is published monthly by Vicon Publishing, Inc., 4Limbo Lane, Amherst, NH 03031. Application to mail at Periodicals Postage Rates is pendingat Amherst, NH 03031. A requester publication, Lab Manager® is distributed to qualifiedsubscribers. Non-qualified subscription rates in the U.S. and Canada: $120 per year. All othercountries: $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 elsewhere. While every attempt is made to ensure the accuracyof the information contained herein, the publisher and its employees cannot accept responsi-bility for the correctness of information supplied, advertisements or opinions expressed.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Lab Manager® Magazine, 4 Limbo Lane, Amherst,NH 03031.
©2007 Lab Manager® Magazine by Vicon Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of thispublication may be reproduced without permission from the publisher. Permission is grantedfor those registered with the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive,Danvers, MA 01923 (phone: 978-750-8400; fax:978-750-4470) to photocopy articles for a basefee of $1 per copy of the article plus $.35 per page.
WDS Canadian return: Station A P.O. Box 54 Windsor, Ontario N94 6J5
13SOFTWARE SCIENTISTS A growing number of scientists are working for firms designingsoftware that models chemical and physical processes.John K. Borchardt
17USING HYDROGEN FOR GASCHROMATOGRAPHY
Hydrogen, as a carrier gas for GC, can be generated at lowpressure on a local basis to provide significant safety and con-venience as compared to the use of tank gas.Peter Froehlich
23FEEDBACK TOOLS IN LABORATORY QUALITYSYSTEMS
One of the new requirements in ISO/IEC 17025:2005 is toseek feedback from customers and do something with it toimprove the management system and technical activities. J.E.J. (Ned) Gravel
27KINASE PROFILING To Outsource or Not to Outsource: That is the QuestionKevin Keras and Simon Fogarty
37“ARE YOU STILL SYNTHESIZING OLIGOS? CANYOU DO (FILL IN YOUR SPECIAL NEED HERE)?”
If you want to offer DNA synthesis at an academic institution,you've got to find a competitive niche.Thomas J. Keller
FEBRUARY 2007
pp2-7 1/22/07 09:32 PM Page 4
www.perkinelmer.com
Don’t miss this invaluable seminar seriesat PerkinElmer, Booth #843.
Join us for a series of enlightening seminars on today’s hottest topics and market trends. Hosted by some of the most respectednames in the field, the discussions are open to all Pittcon® attendees on a first come, first served basis. Space is limited so pleasecome to the booth (#843) early for best possible seating.
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Enter to win a portable TomTom® GPS device. Fill out an entry form at Booth #843 for the daily drawing.
Insight.Right this way.
TIME MARKET FOCUS TOPIC SPEAKER
Monday, February 2610:00 am Hydrocarbon Processing An Overview of Biodiesel Analysis: Biodiesel Solutions D. Armstrong10:30 am Environmental An Overview of Speciated Inorganic Analysis in Water Z. Grosser11:00 am Pharmaceutical Thermal Analysis for Lyophilized Pharmaceuticals F. Summers/K. Menard1:30 pm Forensic FT-IR Spectroscopy Tools for Forensic Trace Analyses S. Williams2:00 pm Forensic Glass and Other Trace Characterization using LA/ICP-MS C. Schneider2:30 pm Service – One Source Proven Approaches to Controlling Maintenance Spend and Enhancing Lab Productivity M. Long
Tuesday, February 279:30 am Hydrocarbon Processing Determine Total Base Number (TBN) values automatically and rapidly using FT-IR D. Hilligoss
10:00 am Environmental Headspace Trap GC, Alternative to Purge and Trap for VOC Analysis M. Collins10:30 am Forensic Improved Precision in Headspace Blood Alcohol Analysis T. Ruppel/M. Collins11:00 am Hydrocarbon Processing LIMS and Hydrocarbon Processing: Turning Laboratory Data into J. Nobles
Information Usable by the Enterprise in Timely Manner1:30 pm Food and Beverage Inorganic Analysis for Food Safety and Quality Z. Grosser2:00 pm Pharmaceutical Routine Screening with Chromatographic Techniques to Ensure Quality M. Collins2:30 pm Service – One Source Proven Approaches to Controlling Maintenance Spend and Enhancing Lab Productivity D. Tenney
Wednesday, February 289:30 am Food and Beverage Pesticides and Organic Chemical Monitoring in Food and Beverage, M. Collins
Ensuring our Food Safety10:00 am Environmental LIMS Plus Wireless PDAs Help Wastewater Plant Save Time, Increase Accuracy M. Lehtola10:30 am Pharmaceutical IR and NIR Imaging of Pharmaceutical Tablets S. Williams11:00 am Pharmaceutical Raman Spectroscopy: from Drug Discovery to PAT A. Dennis1:30 pm Hydrocarbon Processing The Advantage of Advanced GC Gas Control for Refinery Analyses D. Armstrong/C. Wentzel2:00 pm Environmental Meeting the Needs for Water and Environmental Analysis with UV/Vis Spectroscopy C. Lynch2:30 pm Service – One Source Proven Approaches to Controlling Maintenance Spend and Enhancing Lab Productivity M. Long
pp2-7 1/22/07 09:32 PM Page 5
EDITORIALPATRICE GALVIN - Editor In Chief • [email protected] | 603-672-9997, x112
BARBARA VANRENTERGHEM, Ph.D. - Science Editor • [email protected]
LIZ STITT - Editorial Assistant • [email protected] | 603-672-9997, x109
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARDMICHAEL BROWNSTEIN, Ph.D., MD • J. Craig Venter Institute
WAYNE COLLINS, Ph.D. • Thermo Electron Corporation
LYN FAAS • Consultant, Past-President of ALMA
GLENN KETCHAM, CIH • University of Florida
MARY KEVILLE • Massachusetts Biologic Laboratories
VINCE MCLEOD, CIH • University of Florida
JOHN L. TONKINSON, Ph.D. • Epitome Systems, Inc.
ANDY ZAAYENGA • The Laboratory Robotics Interest Group
ADVERTISING SALES PATRICK MURPHY - Publisher • [email protected] | 603-672-9997, x106
VICTORIA MACOMBER - Vice President of Sales • [email protected] | 508-928-1255
LARRY MAHER - MW/SE Sales Director • [email protected] | 630-350-2975
REPRINTSERIC BASTA • [email protected] | 603-672-9997, x121
ART & PRODUCTIONJOAN SULLIVAN - VP, Art & Production • [email protected]
ALICE SCOFIELD - Ad Traffic Manager • [email protected] | 603-672-9997, x101
ADMINISTRATIONPATRICK MURPHY - C.E.O./Publisher • [email protected]
PATRICIA GRADY - C.O.O. • [email protected]
™LabManagerMAGAZINE®
EXECUTIVE OFFICESVicon Publishing, Inc. • 4 Limbo Lane • Amherst, NH 03031
603-672-9997 • fax 603-672-3028 • www.viconpublishing.com
6 LabManager labmgr.com
Author GuidelinesLab Manager Magazine® is aprinted publication of resources,products, and information fortoday’s laboratory manager.Articles should address someaspect of laboratory manage-ment from the perspective of aprofessional who is both a scien-tist and a manager. Topics areaswould include: managing budg-ets, personnel, technology, infor-mation, funding, training, safety,risk, expansion, building or reno-vation, among others related tothe role of a lab manager.
The article review processshould begin with a query by e-mail or phone followed by abrief abstract or outline. Pleasestate your topic and objective,and indicate your perspective aswell as your professional rela-tionship to the topic. Contentmust be unbiased and cannotpromote a particular product orcompany. Article length mayrange from 1500-2500 words.All manuscripts must be submit-ted electronically by email ordisk.
To submit an article
query contact:
Patrice Galvin
Editor in Chief
Lab Manager Magazine
603-672-9997 x112
pp2-7 1/22/07 09:32 PM Page 6
upfront
Just like the great, big E on the top of an eye chart, the letter E for electronichas carved a “hard to ignore” spot in much of what we do everyday. From e-mail, to e-commerce, to e-zines and beyond, the electronic connection hasbecome a critical link to staying in touch with current news, events, andtrends. In fact, it’s become a reliable source that we’ve all come to depend onin just a relatively short amount of time.
In a 2006 Pew Report titled, “The Internet as a Resource for News andInformation about Science”, it was found that, “Fully 87% of online users haveat one time used the internet to carry out research on a scientific topic or con-cept and 40 million adults use the internet as their primary source of news andinformation about science.”
In addition, the report goes on to say that “Happenstance also plays a rolein users’ experience with online science resources. Two-thirds of internet userssay they have come upon news and information about science when they wentonline for another reason.”
Not all scientific e-news has to be “happened upon.”
It is obvious that many people prefer to receive their scientific news andinformation in electronic form. In keeping with this trend, Lab ManagerMagazine® has added an E to our offerings. The Lab Manager e-newsletter waslaunched in January. This weekly electronic publication is distinct from theprint magazine in more than just format. Unlike the Lab Manager digital ver-sion, which is an electronic replication of the print magazine, the e-newsletteris a publication of its own. The content cannot be found in the magazine. Thefeature articles, news, and links are timely and reflect the latest information,products, and more — along with management tips and topics.
E-newsletter editor, Bill Burke, has recently joined our staff and brings anewspaper reporting and website background. The e-newsletter content isgleaned from a wide variety of sources. In addition to sifting through the webfor relevant material, your contributions and ideas are welcome. As with manythings on the web, involvement and interaction can become part of the mix.It is this type of communication that makes the e-newsletter an exciting addi-tion to the print magazine. You can email ideas and suggestions [email protected]
The Lab Manager e-newsletter is distributed weekly and like the printmagazine, subscriptions are free and available at www.labmgr.com
Patrice Galvin
LabManager labmgr.com8
pp8-11 1/21/07 11:46 PM Page 8
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Software Scientists
managing a career path
A GROWING NUMBER OF SCIENTISTS ARE WORKING FOR FIRMS DESIGNINGSOFTWARE THAT MODELS CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PROCESSES.
Designing scientific software and helping people use it offer interesting opportunities for com-puter-savvy scientists. For example, “New developments in computing power, predictive tech-nologies, and information management and analysis techniques hold the key to unlocking theproductivity potential in the discovery of new drugs and materials,” said Dr. Frank Brown,Chief Science Officer of Accelrys, Inc. Accelrys Lead Scientist Klaus Stark explains,“Simulation is very important to solve both academic studies and industrial problems as quicklyas possible. It also helps avoid unnecessary and sometimes dangerous experiments.” He cau-tions, “Simulation must agree with experimental results; it doesn’t replace the need for experi-mentation. It is another tool to help scientists solve problems and answer questions.”
A growing number of independent firms develop and market various types of scientificsoftware. Many of these firms are described on the website www.chemindustry.com/catego-ry/620.html. According to Dr. Stephen Mumby, Senior Account Director, Materials Science atAccelrys, of the 500 Accelrys employees, “half are chemists of every flavor.” Additional “soft-ware scientists” work for pharmaceutical and other firms that either licensesoftware from software design firms or have develop and use their own soft-ware.
Researchers increasingly use software to model molecular behavior andboth chemical and physical processes. These include chemical synthesisand chemical process engineering, molecule design (for applications in drugdesign, catalysis, and other areas), drug action within the body, andresource recovery, particularly oil and gas production. Using computer soft-ware to simulate materials and processes enables scientists to better under-stand them, reduce development time for new products and processes, andoperate commercial operations, such as oil production, more efficiently.
In addition to modeling molecules and processes, scientific software fora variety of other uses has become commercially available. Informatics isthe management and analysis of data using advanced computing tech-niques. For example, chemists are inundated with huge amounts of data:spectral data, synthetic records, stereochemically complex chemical struc-tures, structure-activity relationships, pharmacological studies, and enor-mous arrays of data from high-throughput screening and combinatorialchemistry. Cheminformatics software facilitates the collection, storage, and manipulation ofthese data to provide useful information. Bioinformatics software is important in genomicsresearch because of the large amount of complex data this research generates.
Other types of software include science, engineering and medical databases, specializeddata analysis programs, electronic notebooks, and chemical drawing software.
JOB MARKETIn many fields of science, “traditional” jobs that sustained employment and provided rewardingcareers are becoming fewer. For example, according to the American Chemical Society’sChemCensus survey of all its working members conducted every five years, the percentage of
John K. Borchardt
In addition tomodeling molecules
and processes, scientif-ic software for a vari-ety of other uses has
become commerciallyavailable.
>>LabManager 13labmgr.com
Accelrys Lead ScientistKlaus Stark (Photo cour-tesy of Accelrys, Inc.)
pp12-15 1/18/07 02:01 AM Page 13
labmgr.com14
members working for manufacturing companies hasdeclined from 58.0% in 1985 to 51.9% in 2005. (Thesemanufacturers include drug, chemical, and other types ofmanufacturing companies.) In contrast, the percentage ofmembers working for non-manufacturing firms, such as soft-ware developers and service providers, has increased from9.9% to 11.8%. For chemists aged less than 40 years, 14.2%were employed in this sector.
Career paths in the software industry are “almostunlimited,” says Tripos Application Scientist, Dr. TamsinMansley. “People can move from one post to another astheir skills are required. Research, customer support, sales,marketing, software development (computer programming),and product management (making decisions about features,enhancements, and bug fixing) are required for introducingnew and updated software products.”
BACKGROUNDSSo what are the backgrounds of scientists and engineersworking in this exciting and growing field? Many used com-puter simulation in their graduate or postdoctoral research.For example, Dr. Brown received his Ph.D. in physicalorganic chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh and didpostdoctoral studies in simulations on biological systems atthe University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Stark usedexisting software to develop potential energy surfaces andperform predictive calculations on these surfaces at theUniversity of Stuttgart. His post-doctoral research inphysics focused on computer studies.
Nowadays, “even experimental chemists usually havesome exposure to simulation software,” Stark notes. Heobserves that, working in the software industry, it is notnecessary to have programming experience if one goes into
development work or focuses on working with customers tosolve their problems or marketing.
After completing her Ph.D. in the U.K. and a two-yearpost-doc in the U.S., Tripos Application Scientist Dr.Tamsin Mansley began her career in the U.K. working in amedicinal chemistry research lab. After two years, shereturned to the U.S. to work for UCB Research,Cambridge, Massachusetts. She had 10% of her time towork on her own interests. Mansley took advantage of thistime to develop computer modeling skills. In 2002, shetook an ACS short course, Computational Chemistry andComputer-aided Drug Design: Practical Approaches. Shethen used her new skills on her medicinal chemistry proj-ects.
Dr. Jerald Baronofsky is Director of Marketing andSales/Desktop Applications at CambridgeSoft. He complet-ed two post-docs after earning his degree in biochemistry in1981 and worked for three biochemical companies beforejoining software company SciVision. Hired without experi-ence in simulation software, he notes, “It took a lot of workbut I picked up what I needed to know on the fly.” He wentto work for CambridgeSoft in 1997.
Lei Wang did computer work for her biophysicalchemistry Ph.D. to support NMR structure determinations.She had used Tripos software over five years and liked it. Arecruiter sent a Tripos job description to the departmentchair. Wang says she “liked the aspect of helping people”and thought the job would be very rewarding.
Some scientists work in marketing and sales. Wangobserves, “Sales is a nice career option for B.S. and M.S.chemists.”
FINDING THE JOBOther software scientists report that they came to their jobsby a variety of routes. Stark saw an advertisement in a com-puting newsletter about a job opening at Accelrys. He con-tacted a friend working at Accelrys to learn more about thejob and company. Based on what he learned, he applied fora job there. He reports that another reason for applying was,“At the time, it was hard to find jobs in the traditionalchemistry job market.” In addition, “Working on a varietyof diverse problems was very appealing.” Stark began work-ing for Accelrys in 1997 at Cambridge in the U.K. Later hetransferred to Munich, Germany and then to Houston,Texas.
In 2004, Mansley was considering moving out of thelab and working for a software company. She learned aboutsoftware careers and about Tripos in particular from a UCBResearch scientist who formerly worked for Tripos. At theend of the summer, UCB announced they were closingUCB Research in early 2005. Dr. Mansley had to decidewhether to look for another laboratory research job or work
Perry Francis, Director, Quality Assurance forSchrödinger at the National Chemical Exposition,San Francisco (Photo by John K. Borchardt)
LabManager
pp12-15 1/18/07 02:01 AM Page 14
on computer simulation full-time. Meanwhile, Dr. PaulHawkins, an applications scientist at Tripos who had metMansley at an ACS short course, called her about a Triposjob opening that called for a medicinal chemist. As a resultof this networking, Mansley began working for Tripos in thespring of 2005.
Wang notes that, during their employment interviewsfor software applications positions, job hunters shoulddemonstrate that they understand basic concepts of comput-er modeling. Baronofsky suggests that job applicants shouldbe familiar with the employer’s current products — whatthey can do — and it is even more helpful if they haveexperience in using the software. He says thatCambridgeSoft is particularly interested in applicants thathave ideas for useful new software applications.
Prior job experience, even if it is not in software, canaid in landing a job with a software firm. For example, PerryFrancis, Director, Quality Assurance for Schrödinger, firstworked for Safety-Kleen after getting his B.S. in chemistry.He explains, “This included working to ensure quality assur-ance/quality control was met in Safety-Kleen’s hazardouswaste analysis laboratory.” After earning an M.S. degree inchemistry, he began working for Schrödinger. “My QAexperience was an important factor in my getting hired,” hesays. “This experience has been very useful to me atSchrödinger.” In addition to “being sure that software worksproperly in customers’ hands,” he determines what addition-al features customers would like in software updates.
ON THE JOBThe largest single group of scientists working at computermodeling firms work as applications scientists. They general-ly attend two to three tradeshows annually, usually includingboth American Chemical Society national meetings. Manytravel extensively. For example, Wang and Mansley travelabout 30% of their workdays. Stark frequently travels toEurope and Asia. All three work out of home offices whenthey aren’t traveling. Baronofsky travels 10–15% of his worktime.
Many scientists enjoy the variety offered by softwarejobs. Stark says his foremost job responsibility is “workingwith customers, both industrial and academic scientists, todevelop strategies to solve their problems.” What Stark likesmost is “the diversity of different problems customers have.”This means he has to learn how to tackle many differentkinds of problems and keep up-to-date technically. Hebegan working on catalysis problems but has also worked onproblems for semiconductor, pharmaceutical, and othercompanies. His job offers opportunities to write and publishresearch papers. These often issue under joint authorshipwith Accelrys’ customers. For example, Stark notes, “I pub-
lished a paper on Fischer Tropsch catalyst cycles with collab-orators from Sasol.”
Mansley also enjoys the wide variety of her job respon-sibilities. “No two days are the same,” she observes. A majorchunk of her time is spent in customer support — both pre-and post software sales. She helps customers determine whatsoftware modules they need to solve their problems. Thewide range of her duties means “time management can be areal challenge.”
Wang likes “working with customers helping them useTripos software. I enjoy the people interactions.” Her majorchallenge is “digging deeper to solve customers’ problemsand issues.”
As part of his marketing responsibilities, Baronofskyworks with North and South American software resellersand distributors of CambridgeSoft products. He also man-ages CambridgeSoft sales of other companies’ products likeHyperchem. He serves as a liaison to book publishers whobundle CambridgeSoft programs with college textbooks. Heis also responsible for training customer personnel on certainsoftware products. Baronofsky’s challenges include “takingour products and figuring out what else customers can usethem for and developing good, useful training materials.”
Challenging work assignments, working with interest-ing people, and helping other scientists solve challengingproblems — software careers offer interesting career optionsfor scientists and engineers in a variety of fields.
Dr. Borchardt is a consultant and technical writer. Theauthor of the book “Career Management for Scientists andEngineers,” he writes often on career-related subjects. He canbe reached at [email protected].
LabManager 15labmgr.com
Tripos staff members (from left to right): TamsinMasley, Application Scientist; Gunther Stahl,Senior Application Scientist; Lei Wang,Application Scientist; Shelley Whittaker,Academic Sales (Photo courtesy of Tripos, Inc.)
pp12-15 1/18/07 02:01 AM Page 15
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Using Hydrogen for Gas Chromatography
managing throughput
HYDROGEN, AS A CARRIER GAS FOR GC, CAN BE GENERATED AT LOW PRESSURE ON A LOCAL BASIS TO PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT SAFETY AND
CONVENIENCE COMPARED TO THE USE OF TANK GAS.
When gas chromatography (GC) is used to separate a complex mixture, selection of the appro-priate carrier gas and the optimum source for the carrier gas in GC are critical decisions for thelaboratory manager. The manager should select the carrier gas that provides the desired separa-tion in the minimum period of time to optimize the throughput of the laboratory. In addition,once the appropriate gas has been selected, the manager must then evaluate the various poten-tial sources of that gas to determine how it should be supplied to ensure laboratory safety, con-venience, and minimize the cost of the gas.
Historically, nitrogen or heliumhas been employed as the carrier gas inGC. When hydrogen is used, it is typi-cally provided to the chromatographvia a high-pressure tank with appropri-ate pressure reduction valves and tub-ing. While this approach is fairlystraightforward, it suffers from a num-ber of disadvantages, including thedangers inherent in working with pres-surized gas, the cost of the tanks, andthe inconvenience of having toreplace tanks on a periodic basis.
HYDROGEN — ANAPPROPRIATE CARRIER GAS FOR GCHydrogen is an extremely useful carriergas for GC and provides a number ofsignificant benefits compared to theuse of helium or nitrogen. The major benefit of hydrogen is the fact that it can lead to a dra-matic reduction of the time required for a given separation. In addition, hydrogen frequentlyallows for the use of a lower temperature for separation, thereby increasing column longevity.Besides its use as a carrier gas, hydrogen is used in GC as a fuel gas for flame-ionization detec-tors (FIDs) and as a reaction gas for Hall detectors.
Three gases are commonly used as carrier gases in GC: nitrogen, hydrogen, and helium.While nitrogen provides somewhat higher chromatographic efficiency than hydrogen, the over-all consideration is to obtain the required separation in the minimum period of time. The vanDeemter plot (Figure 1) shows that the use of nitrogen provides a shorter theoretical plate (0.22mm) than hydrogen (0.28 mm), which leads to a greater number of plates for a column andprovides better resolution than either hydrogen or helium. It should be noted that the maxi-mum efficiency for nitrogen is obtained at a linear velocity of 8–10 cm/sec while the optimum
Peter Froehlich
The major benefit ofhydrogen is the fact thatit can lead to a dramatic
reduction of the timerequired for a given
separation.
>>LabManager 17labmgr.com
Figure 1. Van Deemter Plot for N2, He, and H2. WhileN2 provides the highest chromatographic efficiency, theoptimum velocity for H2 is considerably greater, so theuse of H2 as the carrier gas leads to analysis times thatare four times faster than when N2 is used.
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 u (cm/sec)
HTE
P (m
m)
H2
N2
He
•
•
••
••
••
••
••• • • • • •
•
pp16-21 1/17/07 11:48 PM Page 17
labmgr.comLabManager18
linear velocity for hydrogen is approximately 40 cm/sec,which leads to a four-fold decrease in the average analysistime. While the efficiency of nitrogen is somewhat betterthan hydrogen, the decrease in analysis time is significantand suggests that the throughput of the laboratory can bedramatically improved by using hydrogen as the carrier gas.
A chromatogram showing the separation of a standardreference mix using hydrogen as the carrier gas is presentedin Figure 2. This separation was performed in less than nineminutes using an Rtx® -1 column (0.53 mm id, 5 µm); thesame separation took more than four times as long withnitrogen. A very satisfactory separation was obtained andthe retention times are extremely repeatable.
Since the use of hydrogen provides a significant reduc-tion in the time for separation, the analyst could reduce thecolumn temperature for separation. Although this will leadto a slightly longer separation time, the lifetime of the col-umn will be greater, leading to further economic benefit.
While both hydrogen and helium are more satisfactorygases than nitrogen, there are several drawbacks to the useof helium. It is quite expensive, is a non-renewableresource, and has limited availability in many parts of theworld. In contrast, hydrogen is readily available via theelectrolysis of water or as a high-pressure bottled gas.
GENERATION OF HYDROGEN VIA THEELECTROLYSIS OF WATERThe generation of hydrogen in the laboratory via the elec-trolytic dissociation of water provides a convenient, safe,reliable andeconomical method to provide the gas for GC.This two-step process is described in equations 1 and 2.
1. H2O —> 2H+ + O2-
2. 2H+ + 2e- —> H2
The protons that are formed via the dissociation ofwater are allowed to cross a membrane and form molecularhydrogen.
A schematic diagram of a typical hydrogen generator ispresented in Figure 3. The hydrogen generator includes anelectrochemical cell that contains a solid polymer mem-brane to support electrolysis. The system operates at apotential of approximately 7 V (depending on the desiredflow rate).
A specially designed palladium membrane is includedin the design to optimize the purity of hydrogen(99.99999+ %). The palladium membrane is heated togreater than 600 °C so that only hydrogen and its isotopescan pass through the pores; this provides gas with an oxy-gen content less than 0.01 ppm and a moisture content lessthan 1.0 ppm, at flow rates up to 800 mL/min at a pressureof 100 psi.
This type of hydrogen generator produces a steady,dependable, and precise flow of gas. As an example, the
Figure 2.Separation of Simulated Distillation Reference Mix(Courtesy of Restek, Inc.)
Figure 3. Schematic Diagram of Hydrogen Generator
Figure 4. Chromatogram Demonstrating Parker BalstonHydrogen Generator Stability. The output from an FID monitor was recorded for two hours (Courtesy of Restek, Inc.)
pp16-21 1/17/07 11:48 PM Page 18
chromatogram shown in Figure 4 demonstrates FID base-line stability over a two-hour period. In addition, a seriesof ten runs was performed for the simulated distillationmix described in Figure 2, with extremely reproducibleretention times (Table 1).
BENEFITS OF A HYDROGEN GENERATOR A hydrogen generator provides a continuous stream of gasat a flow rate that is required to maintain a number of gaschromatographs and provides three major benefits:
•Minimizes the safety hazards of hydrogen tanks•Eliminates the inconveniences of hydrogen tanks•Is considerably less expensive than hydrogen tanks
MINIMIZING SAFETY HAZARDS When a hydrogen generator is employed, only a smallamount of gas at low pressure is produced in a given peri-od of time and the gas is ported directly to the chromato-graph. Typically, the generator has a storage compartmentthat holds only 50 mL of stored gas at a maximum pres-sure of 4 atm. In contrast, if the contents of a full tank ofhydrogen were suddenly vented into the laboratory, up to9000 L of the gas would be released, creating the possibili-ty of an explosion and/or reducing the breathable oxygencontent of the atmosphere, thereby creating an asphyxiationhazard to the laboratory occupants.
When a new gas tank is required, the analyst musttransport a tank from a secure storage area to the laboratory.A standard tank is quite heavy and can become a guidedmissile if the valve is compromised during transportation.With the hydrogen generator, there are no transportationissues and the output from the generator is permanentlyplumbed into the chromatograph. If a leak were to occur,there is little danger of explosion or asphyxiation as thequantity of gas is small.
CONVENIENCE ISSUESWhen a hydrogen generator is employed, the gas is suppliedon a continuous basis and can be provided on a 24 /7 basis ifdesired. In contrast, when tank gas is employed, tanks mustbe replaced on a periodic basis. If the need for replacementoccurs during a series of analyses, the analyst must interruptthe analytical work to restart the system, wait for a stablebaseline, and may have to recalibrate the system.
The hydrogen generator is a self contained unit thatrequires the user to simply add water on a periodic basis.The tank can be refilled during operation, so there is nodown time. When a hydrogen tank is employed, it is neces-sary to replace the tank. In contrast, “multiple gas chro-matographs can be operated with essentially no interactionwith a hydrogen generator,” according to Dr. Lionel Nesbittof Mastertaste Foods, a manufacturer of natural fruit flavors
in Clark, NJ.In many facilities, spare gas tanks are stored outside in a
remote area (for safety reasons) and it may be time consum-ing to get a replacement cylinder. When it is necessary toget a tank, the chromatographer may need to get an individ-ual who is qualified to handle the tanks. Many users, includ-ing Reza Bibiano of Genzyme, have indicated that replacingused tanks can be a significant inconvenience, especially ininclement weather if the tanks are stored outside.
COST ISSUESIn addition to the significant safety and convenience bene-fits, a hydrogen generator can provide a significant econom-ic benefit compared to the use of gas tanks. The runningcost of operation of a hydrogen generator is exceedingly lowas the raw materials to prepare hydrogen are deionized waterand electricity. On a periodic basis, the deionizer bag (whichis used to filter the water that is recycled during the opera-tion of the instrument) should be replaced; in mostinstances, the bag is replaced twice a year at an expenditureof approximately $100. It has been estimated that the run-ning costs and maintenance for the hydrogen generator isapproximately $225/year.
A recent cost estimate for a laboratory that uses two—three cylinders of hydrogen per week is in the range of$15,000–25,000/year. While the calculation of the precisecost of each approach for a given user is dependent on a
LabManager 19labmgr.com
Table 1. Retention Time Reproducibility for SimulatedDistillation Mix Components (Summation of 10 Runs)
Component Mean SD 96 RSD1. ethanol 0.547 1E-03 0.1765 2. isopentane 0.67 1E-03 0.14843. n-pentane 0.779 0.001 0.1694. 2-methylpentane 1.232 0.001 0.11985. n-hexane 1.488 0.001 0.09926. 2,4-dimethylpentane 1.753 0.001 0.07217. n-heptane 2.387 0.001 0.04428. toluene 2.904 0.001 0.03569. n-octane 3.266 7E-04 0.0214
10. p-xylene 3.784 7E-04 0.019511. n-propylbenzene 4.438 5E-04 0.010912. n-decane 4.809 4E-04 0.008813. butylbenzene 5.174 5E-04 0.010214. n-dodecane 6.116 5E-04 0.007915. n-tridecane 6.703 5E-04 0.007716. n-tetradecane 7.255 7E-04 0.009717. n-pentadecane 7.774 6E-04 0.008118. n-hexadecane 8.264 6E-04 0.0069
pp16-21 1/17/07 11:48 PM Page 19
broad range of local parameters and the amount of heliumor hydrogen that is used, it is quite clear that the use ofthe hydrogen generator leads to a considerably lower costthan the use of tank gas.
When tank gas is employed, there are many hiddencosts, including transportation costs, demurrage costs, andpaperwork (e.g., a purchase order, inventory control, andinvoice payment). In addition, the value of the timerequired to get the tank from the storage area, install thetank, replace the used tank in storage, and wait for the sys-tem to re-equilibrate after the tank has been replaced hasan economic cost.
The cost benefit of a hydrogen generator increasesdramatically as the number of gas chromatographs in thelaboratory increases. As an example, the laboratory ofReza Bibliano of Genzyme operates six GC systems withhydrogen carrier gas using a single hydrogen generator. Inthe past, it was necessary to replace the hydrogen tankapproximately every three weeks — now the single gener-ator meets all the needs. The gas generator has been inoperation for three years with no difficulties.
In a typical example, Henkel Loctite (Rocky Hill,CT), a manufacturer of high-technology sealants, adhe-sives, and coatings, required one tank of helium per weekto supply carrier gas for each of two GC/FID systems inthe analytical services laboratory. The out-of-pocket costof the gas was over $8,500/year. When the lab moved to anew facility, it replaced the tank helium with hydrogenand obtained better quality separations for high-sensitivitymethods. This approach saved nearly $20,000/year.
CONCLUSIONSThe use of hydrogen as a carrier gas for GC provides morerapid separations than nitrogen, with a minimum loss inchromatographic efficiency. The mode of supplying hydro-gen is via the electrolysis of water. A hydrogen generatorcreates a steady stream of gas at a low pressure and stores avery small quantity of the actual gas, so that safety issuesdue to the potential of an explosion are dramatically mini-mized. In addition, the hydrogen generator is more con-venient than tank gas, requires essentially no mainte-nance, and reduces the cost of hydrogen relative to the useof tank gas. A single hydrogen generator can provide thecarrier gas for several GC systems as well as the gas neededfor detectors.
Dr. Peter Froehlich has over 30 years of experience inthe analytical instrumentation industry. He was awarded aPh.D. from Purdue University and has a background in chro-matography and spectroscopy. He is the President of PeakMedia, 10 Danforth Way, Franklin, MA, 02038 and can bereached at 508 528-6145; [email protected].
labmgr.comLabManager20
pp16-21 1/17/07 11:48 PM Page 20
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Feedback Tools in Laboratory Quality Systems
managing performance
ONE OF THE NEW REQUIREMENTS IN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 IS TO ACTIVELYSEEK THE FEEDBACK OF LABORATORY CUSTOMERS AND DO SOMETHING WITH
IT TO IMPROVE THE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND THE TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES.FAIRLY AMBITIOUS WORDS.
What does a customer feedback system mean to a lab? Or to any organization that is contem-plating the use of an active feedback system? Simply put, it means that the organization hasto implement some method of collecting data on how their customers feel about the servicesthey use, the treatment they receive, the interactions they experience, and the expectationsthey take into their relationship with the organization.
FEEDBACK IS ABOUT PERCEPTIONHow do the laboratory customers feel about the service and the methods used by the labora-tory to interact with their customers? How do they feel about the way the laboratory treatsthem, or whether their expectations are being met? From the way these questions are worded,it is clear that feedback is generally used to measure perception — customer perception of thelaboratory, the organization, the laboratory staff, and the work of the laboratory.
EXAMPLES FROM AN ACCREDITATION BODYIf ISO/IEC 17025 calls for this sort of activity explicitly, and CAEAL conducts assessments oflaboratories against this standard, it might be useful for laboratories to appreciate howCAEAL has been acquiring and using feedback. Besides, how can an accreditation body asklabs to have feedback systems and not use one themselves?
Assessors and assessed labs are very familiar with the feedback provided at the end of anaccreditation assessment activity. For this accreditation body, all laboratory responses to thesite visit evaluation are collated each year into one document and submitted to the Board ofDirectors as part of the measurement metrics of the accreditation program. The 2005 colla-tion resulted in a 16-page table.
Proficiency testing (PT) providers, CAEAL included, routinely ask members to com-ment on specific aspects of the PT program. Occasionally, as was done in 2004, this mayinclude the holding of PT workshops to openly discuss issues of interest to the laboratories.More recently, CAEAL surveys of member needs have resulted in the implementation of anew PT scoring system while other results continue to tweak the implemented approaches.
The CAEAL Training Service also encourages members to make use of the web page(http://www.caeal.ca/t_summaries.html) containing published feedback from other memberswho have previously taken training — the good and the bad.
MAKING USE OF THE INFORMATION RECEIVEDCAEAL’s very visible methods of feedback are used to modify goals, objectives, approaches,and delivery methods within CAEAL programs and that is what ISO/IEC 17025 is lookingfor laboratories to do with their own feedback mechanisms. Feedback systems can delivervaluable information to laboratories in real time.
In good laboratories, feedback can have constant, appreciable, positive, and relevantimpact on what is done and how it is done. This approach is in line with best practices in
J.E.J. (Ned) Gravel
Feedback is generally used to
measure perception —customer perception of
the laboratory, the organization,
the laboratory staff, and the work of the laboratory.
>>LabManager 23labmgr.com
pp22-25new 1/22/07 12:28 AM Page 23
labmgr.comLabManager24
continual improvement and is the main reason why the2005 version of ISO/IEC 17025 now includes a require-ment for active acquisition of customer feedback.
What are the potential immediate effects of all thisfeedback on the organization collecting and using it? For alaboratory, it means increased use of current data to affectthe direction and methodologies of the laboratory — andless use of “that is how we have always done it.”
Good and useful feedback mechanisms do not affectthe underlying scientific method in any test or calibration,but they may affect the supporting procedures and the cus-tomer interaction processes.
PUBLISHING FEEDBACK IS ONLY ASECONDARY BENEFITFeedback can also be used to import external support for
the marketing of a laboratory and itsservices. However, organizations thatcollect, use, and publish feedback may bedisappointed because most of their cus-tomers will never read or be influencedby this published feedback.
Such is also CAEAL’s experience. Itmay be surprising that customers rely solittle on what other customers may haveto say about the organization or the labo-ratory. For example, only one in 50CAEAL Training Service participantsadmit to visiting the CAEAL trainingfeedback site to review what others havesaid about us before they purchase train-ing. So the real advantage of feedback isnot the more obvious “pat-on-the-back”from customers. It is the contributionmade to improving services and delivery.
ENHANCING PERCEPTIONBoth CAEAL and member laboratorieswould express the same sentiment aboutproviding service to customers if asked:“It must be high quality and it must meetstated needs.” Many feel it important tocollect member feedback and make useof it. As a result of a change in theaccreditation standard, we may allbecome a little more conscious of theusefulness and application of feedback inour own organizations, and perhaps seekthe published feedback of those we buyservices from.
J.E.J. (Ned) Gravel, P.Eng., CA-LS, CAE, is the Manager, Quality andTraining for the Canadian Association forEnvironmental Analytical Laboratories(CAEAL). The association is a public-pri-vate partnership that provides services toover 380 member laboratories including PTservices, accreditation, and training;www.caeal.ca
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RNA Interference/Western Blotting
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pp32-35 1/21/07 09:07 PM Page 26
Kinase Profiling To Outsource or Not to Outsource: That is the Question
managing workflow
ALL LABORATORIES HAVE DIFFERENT RESEARCH NEEDS, TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS, AND WORKFLOW PATTERNS.
BECAUSE OF THESE UNIQUE FEATURES, EACH LAB MANAGER ISTASKED WITH WHAT CAN BE A DIFFICULT DECISION —
WHETHER TO BOLSTER THE LAB WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF WELL-CHOSEN OUTSOURCING VENDORS OR BUY THE TECHNOLOGY NECESSARY TO COMPLETE ALL TASKS IN-HOUSE. WHICH IS THE BETTER OPTION?
This article discusses these options in relation to recent trends in the area of drug dis-covery, including outsourcing, the availability of new technologies, and maximizationof workflow within the lab.
As the field of high-throughput screening matures and the number of validatedtargets increases, there is a greater desire among all pharmaceutical companies to“screen smarter” within existing resource constraints. The development of more physi-ologically and biochemically relevant assays, the testing of smaller and more focusedcompound libraries, and the increase in compound selectivity and specificity profilingat an earlier stage have all been implemented within screening groups to meet thesecorporate goals.
Because of its complexity, compound profiling has proven to be the one areawhere outsourced compound testing has effectively competed with the in-house devel-opment of a profiling panel for a particular target class.
The development of an in-house profiling panel provides many benefits to ascreening group and their internal therapeutic group customers. Assay target expertise,rapid compound turnaround, and the ability to work closely with medicinal chemistrygroups to rapidly profile compounds shortens the discovery process, making in-houseprofiling very desirable. However, there are significant staff, reagent, workflow, anddata analysis process costs associated with the set-up and maintenance of such a panel.
Each of the assays within the panel has to be developed and validated — this cantake as much as two to three weeks depending on the tractability of the target and theassay methodology selected. Reagents for each assay have to be sourced, tested, vali-dated, and ongoing supplies ensured. The workflow process has to be defined.Typically, screening laboratories are set up to process a large number of samples at asingle concentration against a single target with the follow up of hits against the sametarget. The profiling workflow requires the testing of a small number of test com-pounds at intermittent time periods against multiple targets. To manage this processand resource requirements, many labs schedule profiling assays at defined intervals.Although this manages the workflow, some of the flexibility benefits of in-house pro-filing are lost. The in-house screening data analysis systems are also designed primarilyto process large data sets from a single assay; again, these systems have to be upgradedto meet the profiling process that requires small data sets to be compared against mul-
Kevin Keras and Simon Fogarty
This burden onresources, for both
reagents and technical staff,
combined with theworkflow changes and data analysis
requirements is significant, making
outsourcing a compellingalternative.
>>LabManager 27labmgr.com
pp32-35 1/21/07 09:07 PM Page 27
labmgr.comLabManager28
tiple targets to determine compound selectivity. Thisburden on resources, for both reagents and technicalstaff, combined with the workflow changes and dataanalysis requirements is significant, making outsourcinga compelling alternative.
Outsourced profiling, while expensive and lacking
some of the stated advantages of in-house profiling, canalleviate much of the resource burden associated within-house programs. There are no assay development orvalidation costs, or ongoing assay maintenance and run-ning costs. Compounds for testing are supplied direct tothe outsourcing company and tested through the select-
ed panel of assays. Prior to estab-lishing an outsource profilingrelationship however, theprospective customer needs todetermine that the profilingservices vendor meets the needsof the lab. This includes:
• Assay methodology — afull review of methodolo-gies including detailedmethods, SOPS, andkinetic and standardinhibitor data for each tar-get should be obtained.
• Determine how com-pounds will be processed,including delivery require-ments, storage, dissolu-tion, test concentrations,replicate numbers, andconcentration ranges ifpotency is to be deter-mined.
• Agree on the format ofdata received from thevendor, determine howthe data will be reported,and on the assay QC andpass/fail criteria.
Although this reviewprocess requires a significantinvestment of time by the poten-tial customer, it is crucial to thelong-term success of any partner-ship.
In response to the chal-lenges associated with both out-sourced and in-house profiling, anew generation of products isbeing developed that are cost-effective, easy to implement in-house, and faster than outsourc-ing.
Recently, ready-to-use kitshave been introduced that pro-
pp32-35 1/21/07 09:07 PM Page 28
vide users with the means to perform routine profilingagainst selected targets in a “pre-validated” homoge-neous format. The need to accumulate sufficient com-pounds to batch outsource and the delays associatedwith the speed of turnaround are removed. The in-house issues associated with developing and maintain-ing multiple assays have also been removed with suchpre-validated kits.
These types of kits typically consist of 384-wellplates containing up to 24 targets. Assay set-up is sim-plified such that the user need only add compound andother assay reagents to the plate, incubate, and read theplate.
It is anticipated that in the near future, the role of“ready-to-use” profiling kits will expand within screen-ing groups, providing the best of both worlds. Improvedturnaround along with the elimination of costs associ-ated with the development and long-term maintenanceof an assay panel should enable therapeutic research
labs to perform more frequent profiles at lower costsand with immediate access to data.
Kevin Keras is the Business Unit Manager forMicrofluidic Drug Discovery at Caliper Life Sciences andcan be reached at [email protected].
Simon Fogarty is a Drug Discovery ApplicationsConsultant for Caliper Life Sciences and can be reached [email protected]. Caliper Life Scienceswww.caliperls.com
LabManager 29labmgr.com
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lab diagnosis
Suppose you could buy something for your lab that wouldcreate a cleaner, quieter working environment, shortenprocess times while protecting samples, reduce serviceheadaches and expenses, make your scientists happierand more productive, cost only about as much as adecent microscope, and pay for itself in less than a year.Would you be interested? Of course you would, until youlearn that the product is a…vacuum pump!
WAIT! DON’T GO AWAY! Most lab managers would agree that the “excitementquotient” of a vacuum pump is about the same as a waterheater for your home. If all goes well, it sits there doingits job for years on end. You don’t want to think about ituntil it fails, and then you want to replace it as quicklyand inexpensively as possible, and get on to more produc-tive uses of your time. Taking a little time to get the rightvacuum pump, however, can make all of the contribu-tions to lab productivity mentioned earlier. Here’s how.
VACUUM “MAKES IT HAPPEN”Vacuum is what “makes it happen” in all sorts of ways in the laboratory, by powering filtration, degassing,evaporation, separation, and concentration operations. When you don’t have the right vacuum levels, fil-tration or degassing is either too slow or your filtrate/mobile phase boils. When you’re evaporating, poorvacuum control results in slow evaporation or violent boiling, causing sample loss or cross-contamination.Separation of solvent mixtures is much less effective when vacuum levels don’t match vapor pressures.Furthermore, vacuum allows you to minimize the amount of heat you use when evaporating reagents,allowing you to concentrate heat-sensitive compounds without damage.
CLEANER, QUIETER WORK ENVIRONMENTMany labs still rely on ancient oil-sealed rotary vane vacuum pumps for lab vacuum. Some of thesepumps — like that belt-driven monster that’s so common — represent 70-year old technology. 70 years!They operate at a vacuum that is three orders of magnitude more than needed for common lab applica-tions like evaporators, concentrators, or gel dryers. To get these pumps to operate at proper vacuum lev-els, they must be “dumbed-down” by introducing air that weakens the vacuum, but creates noise and oilmist as it blows through the pump. In contrast, oil-free vacuum pumps are specified to vacuum levelsneeded by typical lab applications. There’s no oil to change or toxic waste oil to dispose of, and no oil toblow out into a smelly, chemical-contaminated mist that pollutes lab air and deposits a slippery sheen onbenchtops and floors. These diaphragm pumps eliminate the roar of air by delivering the needed vacuumby design. The result is a cleaner, quieter work environment powered by a pump that usually takes up alot less space as well.
HAPPIER, PRODUCTIVE SCIENTISTSWhat scientist, after years of schooling in his or her discipline, wants to spend time serv-ing as a mechanical controller for an archaic piece of equipment? Isn’t that what elec-tronics are for? Don’t we set temperature with a thermostat and rely on the electronicsto maintain the desired conditions? Why do many labs still rely on the oversight of vac-
Lab Productivity from a Surprising Source
Peter G. Coffey labmgr.com
Figure1. 5-Year Cost Comparision—Vacuum Pumps
>>
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uum processes by highly skilled scientists instead of rely-ing on controls? Isn’t there a better use for that scientist’sintelligence and training than turning a pump on and offto approximate conditions that could be better main-tained automatically?
The scientific mind is, by far, the most valuable andcostly resource in a laboratory. Does it make sense to usea resource that costs, say, $60,000 a year, rather than pur-chasing vacuum pump controls that may cost a fewthousand dollars and serve reliably for ten or twentyyears or more? In a word, “No,” yet lab managers makethis decision routinely because vacuum pumps seem likesuch a mundane utility that their possible contributionto the work environment is often overlooked.
SHORTER PROCESS TIMES WHILEPROTECTING SAMPLESOil-free pumps with electronic controls can significantlyshorten process times by keeping application condi-tions close to optimum. Traditional two-point technol-ogy (operating like a thermostat, with a set point andplus or minus tolerances) relies on a programmed set-point or ramp that defines the desired conditionsbased on prior testing. Repeat runs are managed by theelectronics, while the scientist attends to other press-ing matters. In the most advanced control systemsavailable, the vacuum system detects the changingvapor conditions of the application, and adjusts itsown operation continuously to momentary optimumvacuum levels without test runs and ramp program-ming. Such controllers can achieve 30% shorter appli-cation times than even a programmed, two-point con-troller, while limiting bumping and boil-overs.Electronically controlled systems are clearly moreexpensive than uncontrolled vacuum, but they signifi-cantly accelerate processes even as they free staff formore productive work than manual pump oversight.
REDUCED SERVICE EXPENSEOil-sealed pumps require regular oil changes — some-times weekly or monthly — because process vapors arein direct contact with pump oil. Contamination of theoil reduces its lubricating and sealing properties, andcan add corrosive properties, so failure to change oil —a nasty job — can lead to pump failure, just as in a carengine. To protect the oil, oil-sealed-pump manufactur-ers recommend cold-traps to capture most processvapors before they reach the pump. Cold traps requiredry ice or liquid nitrogen, or expensive, bulky, energy-intensive chillers. Besides the inconvenience of feedingdry ice traps, daily dry ice costs can equal the cost of a
rotary vane pump in the first year, and keep on bleedingbudgets for years to come.
A well-designed, oil-free laboratory vacuum pumpcan have a typical service interval of as much as 10,000to 15,000 hours, depending on pump design and manu-facturer. For a pump operated 20 hours a week for 50weeks a year, that works out to be ten to fifteen yearswithout oil changes, rebuilds, service interruption, orother maintenance. Besides eliminating the need foroil-changes, some designs feature fluoropolymer flow-paths that eliminate the need for cold-traps in mostapplications. With such pumps, dry ice or liquid nitro-gen savings alone will normally recoup in the first yearof service any premium paid for an oil-free, fluoropoly-mer-flowpath pump compared with an oil-sealed rotaryvane pump. The convenience and service savings justgo on and on for years.
BUT IS IT EXPENSIVE?For all these reasons, it should be obvious that youshould never use an oil-pump when an oil-free pumpcan do the job. (Certain applications, like freeze-dryers,need the deeper vacuum levels that only a rotary vanepump can deliver.) A good, oil-free diaphragm vacuumpump costs a little more than a rotary vane pump, anda full vacuum system with a chemical-resistant flow-path, electronic control, and built-in solvent capturemay cost a few thousand dollars. So for about the costof a decent scientific microscope, you can equip yourlab with vacuum technology that is clean, quiet, cost-effective, and productivity-enhancing.
Modern vacuum control frees your scientists forproductive use of their training and intelligence,enriching their jobs and eliminating tedious oversightof applications. Oil-free vacuum can save enough inservice costs and vapor-capture consumables in a yearor two to pay for the pump, bringing all of these advan-tages — for free — to the lab manager who can over-come the temptation to doze off at the mere mentionof the mundane little vacuum pump.
Peter Coffey is the Vice President – Marketing ofBrandTech Scientific, Inc.;11 Bokum Road, Essex, CT06426. He can be reached at 860-767-2562;www.brandtech.com
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“Are You Still Synthesizing Oligos? Can you do (fill in your special need here)?”
managing technology
IT'S 10:30 THURSDAY NIGHT. IT'S BEEN A BUSY WEEK AND I REALLY DON'T FEELLIKE GOING BACK UP TO THE LAB TONIGHT. NONETHELESS, I PUT ON MY RAINCOAT AND HEAD FOR THE CAR. IT COMES WITH THE TURF — IF YOU
WANT TO OFFER DNA SYNTHESIS AT AN ACADEMIC INSTITUTION, YOU'VE GOT TO FIND A COMPETITIVE NICHE.
Commercial “oligo houses” offer oligos so much cheaper but they can’t get them to myclients the next morning. Only your “friendly neighborhood core facility” can do that. So,up the hill I go, one more time for the day. Speed is a niche we can fill. A client can submitan on-line work request for synthesis as late as 6:00 pm, just before I go home, and we’llhave it ready for them when they need it in the morning
Quality is another niche for the small core facility. The inexpensive oligo vendors use high-throughput plate synthesizers. They're fast and stingy with reagents. But think about what youlearned in Organic Chemistry — that’s not how you optimize yield. They can't get the couplingefficiency that our good old ABI 394s can get; and even a few tenths of a percentage point matterwhen you're doing solid-phase synthesis. Consider Table 1.
For primers, linkers, and other standard oligos of lengths less than 30 bases, the lower cou-pling efficiency of plate synthesizers may not matter for most molecular biology experiments. Butfor longer oligos and experiments where “signal-to-noise” matters, the quality difference becomesapparent. You do get what you pay for.
In addition, we do quite a bit of non-standard oligonucleotide synthesis. That is the synthesisof oligos with modified nucleotides, phosphorothioate instead of phosphate internucleotide link-ages, or other non-nucleic acidmolecules coupled to the oligo.The addition of biotin and fluo-rescence labels for variouspurification and detectionapproaches are the most com-mon requests. But we also syn-thesize models of DNA damageand other unusual molecules,such as, most recently, siRNAoligonucleotides.
A BRIEF HISTORYIt's curious, but current state-of-the-art oligo synthesis usesmachines and chemistries thathave been around for quite a while; some of the most innovative aspects dating from the late1950s. For example, there are several reactive sites on a nucleotide, so it’s crucial to control whenand where reactions occur. This problem was solved with H.G. Khorana’s “on-off” protectionscheme. The Khorana approach calls for two types of blocking groups for the reactive positionson a nucleic acid monomer. This synthesis scheme starts at the 3’ terminus and addsmonomers in a reaction cycle until the final 5’-terminal nucleotide has been added. The ini-tial monomer, at the 3' end of the requested sequence, is attached to a solid support with a
Thomas J. Keller
A client can submit an
on-line work requestfor synthesis as
late as 6:00 pm, just before I go
home, and we’ll have it ready
for them when they need it
in the morning
LabManager 37labmgr.com
>>Table 1. Cumulative Effect of Coupling Efficiency
*Yield = S*ACE(n-1), starting material (S) is 40 nanomoles
Length (n) Yield of Full-length Oligo for Average Coupling Efficiency (ACE)*Starting with40nmoles 97% 98% 99%
25-mer 19.3 nanomoles 24.6nanomoles 31.4nanomoles
50-mer 9.0 14.9 24.4
75-mer 4.2 9.0 19.0
100-mer 2.0 5.4 14.8
125-mer 0.9 3.3 11.5
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linkage that is susceptible to a basic reagent, such asammonium hydroxide, hence, the name “solid-phase syn-thesis.” The primary amines on the nucleobases are pre-vented from reacting with “base-labile” blocking groups.But the 5'-OH on the deoxyribose (or ribose for RNAsynthesis) is blocked with an “acid-labile” blocking group.It is this blocking group that gets removed just before thenext monomer is added. The solid-phase synthesis con-cepts grew out of earlier work on peptide synthesis by D.Letsinger. Solid-phase synthesis allows excess reagentsand side products to be easily washed away without purifi-cation between the synthesis steps.
The actual coupling reaction occurs between theunblocked 5’-OH and an activated phosphorous moietyattached at the deoxyribose or ribose 3’ position. M.Caruthers with S. L. Beaucage and L. McBride improvedthe chemistry of Letsinger and devised the cya-noethylphosphoramidite cycle that is used today for cou-pling and then oxidation to the natural phosphate link-age.
After all the coupling reactions have been accom-plished, the completed oligonucleotide is cleaved fromthe solid support and the remaining blocking groups are
removed by the addition of a basic solution (e.g., aqueousammonium hydroxide) to the column and incubation inthis solution for several hours. There are a number of dif-ferent blocking groups and column linkers available.These dictate the type of cleavage and deprotection reac-tion that must be performed to end up with theunblocked, “natural” single-stranded DNA molecule.
At this point, for most applications, all we have todo is remove the organic salts — the remains of theblocking groups — with a simple size-exclusion chro-matography step. Voila! A single-stranded naturaloligonucleotide. The desalted oligonucleotide is ready foruse by the biochemist or molecular biologist for mostapplications. Occasionally, more extensive purification isneeded and we do that upon request as well.
An excellent, brief history of the history of oligonu-cleotide synthesis can be found athttp://www.trilinkbiotech. com/tech/pdf/A%20Short%20History%20of%20Oligonucleotide%20Synthesis.pdf#search=%22 Nobel%20Prize%20 oligonu-cleotide%20 synthesis%22. Original references are citedthere.
The basic chemistry cycle as implemented on the
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ABI 394 is shown in Figure 1.Each complete cycle takes about six minutes, or
about ten bases per hour. The final cleavage from thecolumn takes another hour. The synthesis product ispushed to a glass vial for an additional period of time forremoval of the remaining blocking groups.
FILL THE NICHE NEEDED BY YOUR CLIENTSBesides the researcher who needs their primers or probesASAP, we are able to synthesize modified and labeledoligos economically. Since we are just trying to break-even and not make a profit, we only add the cost of thespecial reagent to our standard synthesis fee. So the mod-ified or labeled oligos are actually quite competitive.
And, of course, we are there to help our grad stu-dents, post-docs, and faculty with experimental designand troubleshooting. We give a 100% guarantee with arapid response to any problems.
RNA INTERFERENCE AND SYNTHETICsiRNA OLIGONUCLEOTIDESRNA interference, or post-transcrip-tional gene silencing, is an ancient,conserved cellular defense mechanismthat evolved to help protect againstmicrobial pathogens by targetingexogenous RNA for degradation. It isalso involved in regulating theexpression of protein-coding genes inmany cell types of various organisms.An excellent review can be found ata NIH National Library of Medicinewebsite.1 The salient feature of thisrelatively new area of research, forsynthesis core facilities, is that short,double-stranded RNA molecules(siRNA) can serve as “guides” to thesequence-specific degradation ofRNA. As a tool in functional genom-ic studies, the RNA that is targeted isthe messenger RNA (mRNA) of thegene of interest, hence, the term“gene knockdown” for this experi-mental approach.
During the last several years,RNA interference with syntheticsiRNA oligonucleotides has becamewidely used as a powerful tool forstudying gene expression and we arenow synthesizing a lot of siRNAoligonucleotides. RNA synthesisreagents have been around for a longtime. The monomers are five to six
times more expensive than those used in DNA synthesis.The extra hydroxyl on the ribose has to be blocked toprevent it from reacting during the coupling cycle (seeFigure 1). The blocking group is a bit bulky, causingsteric hindrance, and slows down the actual couplingreaction. We get decent yields by simply allowing alonger time for each cycle's coupling reaction. The “gen-tle” removal of this blocking group and the sensitivity ofRNA to ubiquitous RNA degrading enzymes (RNases),even present on your skin, make processing the finalproduct more difficult. But these difficulties even theplaying field for university core facilities vs. commercialvendors and provide us with a whole new niche for oursynthesis service.
What makes siRNA molecules cost-effective for theacademic core facility to offer is the fact that they toler-ate having a terminal dTdT. That is, we can synthesize amixed oligo with two DNA bases at the 3’ terminus, andthe rest of the bases composed of RNA. This makessiRNA synthesis easier and cheaper because we can use
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the so-called “Low Volume” (LV)columns. These columns contain amembrane instead of CPG 2 as thesolid support. The polystyrenemembrane is intrinsically drier andallows the use of cycles that arestingier with the expensive RNAreagents. Therefore, the universitycore facility can successfully com-pete in the siRNA synthesis area.
“LAISSEZ LES BONS TEMPSROULER!”3
Custom, synthetic oligonucleotidesare used in a wide range of molecu-lar biology experiments. They areused as “primers” for DNAsequencing and PCR (polymerasechain reaction) experiments. Theyare also used in oligo-directedmutagenesis and to identify specific
• Nanotechnology• Sample Prep• Cell Disruption• Disaggregation• Atomization• Homogenization• Cell Lysing• Dispersion
ULTRASONICSFOR...
1.800.745.1105 www.sonics.biz
labmgr.comLabManager40
Figure 1. The extra hydroxyl on theribose has to beblocked to prevent it fromreactingduring the coupling cycle.
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locations on a genome via sequence specifichybridization. Perhaps because of their ubiquitoususe in modern molecular research, they havebecome a commodity product, much like purifiedenzymes became a commodity back in the 1970sand 80s. University core facilities really can’t com-pete on price with commercial sources of primers— relatively short, unmodified oligos. We simplycan’t achieve the economy of scale that a high-throughput commercial vendor can achieve, andwe can’t use the loss leader technique of gettingclients “in the door,” so to speak, with cheapprimers in the hope of also selling them somethingelse that makes money. NIH rules require universi-ty core facilities to use a straightforward, break-even fee structure. For this reason, many universi-ties have shut down their oligo synthesis facilitiesduring the last decade.
We have found that university core facilitiescan continue serving their institution’s researcherswith high-quality oligonucleotides when speedand/or modified oligos are needed. And the dis-covery of RNA interference with siRNA has reallyrejuvenated the usefulness of university oligo syn-thesis core facilities. We help with the design andexperimental troubleshooting as well. We begansynthesizing siRNA oligos just last year, and thedemand is up 75% in 2006. It has stimulated inter-est in our other competitive niches as well. Weexpect this trend to continue. So hang in therecore lab managers... just keep your raincoat handy.
1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome/probe/doc/TechRnai.shtml
2. controlled pore glass, aka CPG3. Let the good times roll.
Thomas J. Keller has a PhD from theUniversity of California, San Francisco in MedicinalChemistry. In 1995, Dr. Keller came to the OregonHealth & Science University to develop a smalldepartment-based facility into a campus-wide researchcore facility now known as the MMI Research CoreFacility. His latest endeavor is to improve informaticsand data processing in the lab using Perl, BioPerl andEMBOSS. He can be reached throughhttp://www.ohsu.edu/research/core.
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PITTCONproduct showcase
MASS SPECTROMETERION SOURCE
The DART™ (Direct Analysis in RealTime) technology analyzes samplesin open air. No radioactive compo-nents, solvent sprays, exposed highvoltage, or vacuum are used to alterthe sample state. It can be used inforensic analysis, homeland security,pharmaceutical screening, chemicalsynthesis, and environmental appli-cations.JEOL USA, Booths 2103, 2203www.jeolusa.com
TURBIDIMETER
The TC-3000 Tri-Meter is equippedwith a microprocessor that drives apatent pending optical system thatpermits EPA or ISO compliant meas-urements. This optics configurationenables the instrument to read at bothhigh and low levels for turbidity, chlo-rine, and color. The meter features sixlanguages, data logging, an RS-232interface, and CE mark.LaMotte Company, Booth 1129www.lamotte.com
SAMPLE PROCESSINGSYSTEM
The Element has an open-accessplatform that integrates instrumentsfor processing and can be tailored tothe customer’s needs. The unit wasdesigned for applications that includemedium to high throughput screeningof cell-based and enzyme assays,ELISA, plasmid and sequencingpreparation, PCR clean-up, solubility,and more.Velocity11, Booth 3387www.velocity11.com
SELF-REGULATINGVACUUM SYSTEM
The VACUUBRAND® PC2001VARIO™ vacuum system automati-cally determines boiling points andoptimizes vacuum levels with mini-mal oversight. It is sized for bench-top rotary evaporators and otherevaporative laboratory applica-tions. Bumping is minimized by con-tinuously adapting pumping speedto vapor flow.BrandTech Scientific, Booth 760www.brandtech.com
DISC CENTRIFUGEANALYZER
This disc centrifuge, particle-size ana-lyzer measures particle size andweight distribution. Particles from0.01 to 40 microns can be measuredin 20–30 minutes. Applicationsinclude protein clusters, immunoassayparticles, liposomes, polymer latexes,colloids, virus particles, virus-like parti-cles, toner particles, nanoparticles,size calibration standards, oil emul-sions, and more.CPS Instruments, Booth 2417www.cpsinstruments.com
LABWARE CATALOGThis 60-page“ P l a t i n u mLabware” refer-ence handbookand catalogoutlines theselection, use,and care of lab-oratory waremade from plat-inum and otherprecious metals. The book includessections that review alkali metalborate fusion fluxes, the pros andcons of many precious metals, a“care and use” section, and a refer-ence section. Alfa Aesar, Booth 1560www.alfa.com
>>
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LOW TEMPERATUREREACTION SYSTEMAs an integratedsolution, the DrySynCOOL provides analternative to icebaths and glass-jacketed reactionvessels. With asmall footprint, it canaccommodate flasksfrom 50 to 1000 mLand also boasts an extended temperaturerange from -30 °C to +150 °C. Asynt, Booth 3384www.asynt.com
HPLC COLUMNS
The Silica-C™ HPLC columns for normalphase are packed with 4-µm, 100-A,TYPE-C Silica™. The silica hydride sur-face uses organic solvents, such as hexa-ne, ethyl acetate, and other non-polar sol-vents. These columns do not require anymoisture control. They are also durableand do not contain any carbon.MicroSolv Technology Corp.,Booth 3879www.mtc-usa.com
MULTIPURPOSE SYNTHESISTOOLThe atlas™, a multi-purpose synthesistool, was devel-oped for bothresearch and devel-opment chemists. Itoffers a modularautomated solutionfor a range of func-tions. The base can work as a simple orprogrammable reaction stirrer or as acontrolled lab reactor. Also, many unitscan be connected together and automati-cally operated.Syrris Limited, Booth 1217www.syrris.com
MICROPLATE CYTOMETER
The Acumen® eX3 microplate cytometeris equipped with up to three lasers at405, 488, and 633 nm. It is compatiblewith a variety of fluorescent reagents. Itdelivers the object recognition of CCDimagers combined with the fast reads ofbulk fluorescence readers.TTP LabTech, Booth 613www.ttplabtech.com/acumen
HOMOGENIZING SYSTEM
The programmable Omni Prep™ isdesigned to homogenize up to 250 sam-ples per hour. Operation with disposableprobes eliminates cross contaminationand cleaning. It uses brushless motor tech-nology and includes a removable cleardoor and positive airflow that can beexhausted to a HEPA filter or fume hood.Omni International, Booth 2588www.omni-inc.com
LINEAR ACTUATORS
The size 11 hybrid linear actuators includeencoder feedback. The optical incrementalencoder design is available with two chan-nel quadrature TTL squarewave outputs. Anoptional index (3rd channel) output is alsoavailable. It delivers thrusts of up to 25 lbs.Haydon Switch & Instrument, Booth 3108www.hsi-inc.com
CRUDE OIL ANALYSISSOLVENTKarl Fischer analy-sis of crude oilspresents a particu-lar challenge due tothe poor solubilityof their tar and oilcomponents in con-ventional KF sol-vents and reagents.Aquastar® CombiSolvent crude oils arevolumetric solvents formulated to dissolvemany common grades of crude oil andfacilitate reproducible results.EMD Chemicals, Booths 3520, SR55 www.emdchemicals.com
EMBEDDED CONTROLLER
Designed as a fully-functional compactindustrial PC, the PDQScreen™ controllerbrings color to your front panel. It can becommanded remotely from a PC or usedstand-alone, providing real-time control ofdozens of analog and digital I/O lines.Using a Motorola 68HCS12 micro-processor, it has a 1-MB address space.Mosaic Industries, Booth 2821www.mosaic-industries.com
LOW FLOW MASS FLOWMETER AND CONTROLLER
The Micro-Trak™ flow meter and con-troller is designed for flow ranges under 4sccm (smlm). Its all-stainless-steel flow path issuitable for most clean gases including cor-rosives and toxics. The meter has a smallfootprint (3.0”x1.0”), 24 VDC power, andchoice of multiple communications. Sierra Instruments, Booth 1316www.sierrainstruments.com
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FIBER OPTIC SPECTROSCOPY
The AvaSpec-2048X14 packages a back-thinned CCD array into a portable spec-trometer platform. Additionally, the platformhas high sensitivity and signal to noise per-formance. It is available with USB2,RS232, and wireless data communications,14-bit A/D for high dynamic range, on-board processor and memory, and 4 ana-log and 15 digital I/O capabilities.Avantes, Booth 3207www.avantes.com
SURFACE ANALYSIS SYSTEM
The VCA Optima surface analysis systemuses Windows™ standards and software tocreate a contact angle instrument.Applications include cleanliness inspection,biomaterial and adhesion studies, coatingassessment, chemical formulation, and eval-uation of surface treatment among others.Features include dynamic capture capabili-ty, motorized syringe, surface energy analy-sis, and pendant drop analysis.AST Products, Booth 4649www.astp.com
ONE-TOUCH VORTEXER
The FINEPCR® FINEVORTEX® one-touchvortexer can continuously vary speeds up to3000 rpm and comes with a universal rackfor vortexing flasks and test tubes or attach-ing centrifuge tubes and ampules. Dual-mode switch lets you vortex continuously orintermittently by simply pressing the tube tothe universal rack.A. Daigger & Co., Booth 2707www.daigger.com
CELL DENSITY TUBES
VoluPAC™ tubes provide an alternativemethod to determine the cell density in a cellculture suspension. The volume of the cellpellet relates to the complete sample volumeand expressed as % PCV (packed cell vol-ume) which results in an absolute value, cor-responding to parameters like cell count,protein content, metabolic activity, etc. Sartorius, Booth 3637www.sartorius.com
MASS SPECTROMETRYSOFTWAREPEAKS is a softwaresolution for peptidesequencing and pro-tein identification fromtandem mass spec-trometry (MS/MS)data. It can performde novo sequencing,which is providing thesequence of a pep-tide or a protein with-out the aid of a protein sequence database.Bioinformatics Solutions, Booth 1980www.bioinfor.com
ECONOMICALIMMERSIONCIRCULATORThe Model 7306immersion circulatorwas designed forapplications requir-ing the frequent use ofspecific temperaturesetpoints. It featuresan ambient +5 °C to150 °C temperaturerange, ±0.05 °C tem-perature stability, and three user-settabletemperature presets for rapid setpointchanges. Fluid temperature is displayed ona bright LED readout. PolyScience, Booth 833www.polyscience.com
MULTI-ELEMENT PROBEThis multi-element probeprocesses 8 samplessimultaneously. Unlikeultrasonic baths ormicroplate horns, thisprobe delivers the shockdirectly into the sample.The probe consists of acoupler and 8 replace-able microtips that canbe mounted onto a laboratory stand orincorporated into an automated x–y posi-tioning system.Sonics & Materials, Booth 4365www.sonics.biz
VACUUM PUMPS
The ACP series of clean, dry, roughing vac-uum pumps feature a frictionless pumpingmodule, capable of operation without aninternal lubricant. They can be used in R&D,and the semiconductor industry. Based onmulti-roots technology, the series wasdesigned for dry vacuum applications.Alcatel Vacuum Products, Booth 3920www.axiden-usa.com
AUTOMATED CHEMISTRYANALYZER
The Flow Solution IV+ automated chem-istry analyzer performs continuous flowion analysis. The analyzer runs both SFAand FIA methods and can automate awide range of wet chemistry procedures.System modules are available to performautomatic dilutions and on-line samplepreparation techniques.OI Analytical, Booth 4460www.oico.com
product showcase continued >>
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INFORMATICS SYSTEM
The KnowItAll informatics system is a fullyintegrated software package that offerssolutions for centralizing, securing, andaccessing your IR, NMR, MS, Raman, UV,and chromatographic data resources(including structures and properties) —from the laboratory to the global enter-prise. The software can also be complimen-tary to other systems in your laboratory. Bio-Rad, Booth 1057www.bio-rad.com
ELECTRON MULTIPLIERSELECTION GUIDE
The Channeltron® electron multiplier selec-tion guide includes a cross reference ofdetectors, instrument manufacturers, andmodels. This document also describes otheravailable enhancement options and customcapabilities. It is made for anyone involvedin the design, engineering, procurement, orapplication of electron multipliers.BURLE Electro-Optics, Booth 4445www.burle.com
EQUIPMENT CASES
The molded Hofbauer cases were previ-ously only available in Europe. Thesecases may be customized with foam inte-riors, molded inserts, or decorationoptions. For maximum impact, a designor logo can be molded into the casebody. For quantities of 50 or more cases,custom colors are available.Cases By Source, Booth 1776www.casesbysource.com
MICROWAVE SAMPLEPREPARATION SYSTEM
The MARST system can be configured fordigestion, extraction, synthesis and otherapplications. The system features pressureand temperature control technology aswell as an array of vessel designs. Solid-steel cavity construction, a high-impactflex and reseal door, and continuous inter-nal reaction control provide safety duringoperation.CEM Corporation, Booth 826www.cem.com
DIGITAL REVERSING MIXERWITH REMOTEThis overhead mixeroffers the option ofdual keypads: one onthe mixer head and aremote for use up tosix feet away. Bothkeypads control allmixing functions simul-taneously. The mixerfeatures programma-ble reversing and atimed cycle feature. Cole-Parmer, Booth 2455www.coleparmer.com/2343
PARTICAL ANALYSIS SYSTEM
The FlowCAM® particle analysis instru-mentation measures 23 different parame-ters for analyzing and sizing spherical par-ticles. Developed for laboratory and R & Dmanagers, process engineers, qualitycontrol managers, research scientists, andothers involved in particle analysis, theinstrumentation images every particle in adiscrete fluid sample or continuously inprocess.Fluid Imaging Technologies, Booth 3307www.fluidimaging.com
PELTIER-COOLED CYCLONICSPRAY CHAMBERThe CryoMist combinesa low-temperature ICPsample introduction witha cyclonic spray cham-ber. The system gener-ates a consistent sampleaerosol with reduced sol-vent loading. The systemmaintains temperature to within 0.5degrees, resulting in a profound positiveeffect on signal stability especially for ICP-MS.Glass Expansion, Booth 940www.geicp.com
HANDHELD METER When connected to amultiparameter sensor(MPP 350), the Multi3500i can measure anddisplay four parameterssimultaneously on thebacklit graphic display.Other features includeGLP-compliant calibra-tion recording capability,1800 data set memory,time-controlled datalogging, and bidirec-tional RS232 interface.Nova Analytics, Booths SR27, 2677www.novaanlaytics.com
CO2 INCUBATORS
The Hotpack ProCulture 150 and150UV CO2 incubators were designedfor critical cell culture applications.Temperature and CO2 sensors ensureculture conditions and recovery afteropening the door. It contains a UV ster-ilization source which performs decont-amination in 30 minutes, enabling thesystem to be ready for operation withminimal interruption.SP Industries, Booth 4185www.spindustries.com
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PH GLASS FORMULA
This pH glass formula, GXV, works in lowionic strength solutions as well as highpH applications. The sample pH is regis-tered in less than 20 seconds and the pHvalue is reproducible over the entire pHrange from 0 to 14.Van London – pHoenix Co, Booth 1939www.vl-pc.com
PLATE READER
The DynaPro Plate Reader makes auto-mated dynamic light scattering measure-ments. It is designed to screen unfraction-ated samples. The plate reader also hasbuilt-in temperature control and is compat-ible with most liquid handling robots. Itcan be used with microplates of 96-, 384-or 1,536-well plates. Wyatt Technology, Booth 1372www.wyatt.com
POLYPROPYLENE PRODUCTS
NuAire offers a complete line ofpolypropylene products including verticallaminar airflow fume hoods, conventionaland by-pass fume hoods, polypropylenecasework, acid storage cabinets, counter-tops, and accessories. This equipment isdesigned for the corrosive, semi-conduc-tor, or metal free laboratory, constructedfrom all stress-relieved, fully seam-welded,white polypropylene. NuAire, Booth 2260www.nuaire.com
GAS CHROMATOGRAPH/MASS SPECTROMETER
The Clarus 600 Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer combines the Clarus600 Gas Chromatograph (GC) with multi-ple pumping options in our Clarus 600Mass Spectrometer (MS). This combinationoffers increased sample throughput andsample-centric, application-focused soft-ware. Multiple pumping options meet a vari-ety of laboratory needs.PerkinElmer Life and Analytical Sciences,Booths 843, SR14, SR15, SR16www.perkinelmer.com
1.8µM LC COLUMNS Two ZORBAX rapid resolution highthroughput 1.8µm LCcolumns offer solutionsfor both conventionaland ultra-fast separa-tions. The StableBondphenyl column pro-vides selectivity foraromatic compounds.The StableBond AQcolumn separatespolar compounds inup to 100% aqueousmobile phases. Users can now choosefrom over 100 column configurations.Agilent, Booths SR44, 4255www.agilent.com
BIODIESEL GC COLUMNThe Alltech® AT™Biodiesel columnanalyzes biodieselas required by methods EN14105 and ASTM D6584.These methods deter-mine the glycerincontent producedduring the transesterification of vegetableoils. The column is manufactured with ahigh-temperature, 5% phenyl phase, fusedsilica tubing, and an attached 5-m deacti-vated retention gap. GraceDavison Discovery Sciences™Booths SR02, 1413www.discoverysciences.com
CONTRACT DEVELOPMENTAND MANUFACTURINGSERVICES
The integrated contract development andmanufacturing services include instrumenta-tion, disposables, and custom automation.These services were designed for specialistapplications, such as handling magneticbeads, microarrays and glass slides, heatingand cooling, image acquisition and analy-sis, and design of highly integrated optics. Invetech, Booth 4663www.invetech.us
SOLID PHASE EXTRACTIONSOFTWARETrilution® LH offersone software pack-age to control allliquid handlingand solid phaseextraction instru-ments maximizes. The drag-and-drop func-tionality enables users to both set-up instru-ment configuration and define bed lay-outs. The software has an application runscreen that provides complete control overthe users run and features andimport/export functionality.Gilson, Booths SR43, 4069www.gilson.com
GC/MS
The GC/MS-QP2010 Plus features amass range of 1.5 to 1090 m/z, an ionsource temperature range from 100 ?C to300°C, and dual turbo pumps. It also fea-tures automatic adjustment of retentiontime (AART), fast automated scan/SIMtype (FASST), and creation of automaticSIM tables (COAST).Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, BoothsSR03, 1820www.shimadzu.com
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PROCESSING SYSTEM
By combining aspects of laboratory andon-line systems, the ProcessLab is a fullycustomized, automated system for analyti-cal testing with up to 16 places for meas-uring instruments, sample loops, pumps,stirrers and other accessories. It featuresapplication-specific modules to performtitration, conductivity UV/VIS, ion selec-tive measurements, and more.Brinkmann, Booths SR04, 2032www.brinkmann.com
LABORATORY PRINTER
The LABXPERT printer is specificallydesigned for lab applications. Label mate-rials withstand exposure to acids, solvents,and low temperatures. Recent upgradesinclude a USB port, more font sizes, andnarrower barcodes for smaller labels. Theprinter can produce text sizes of 0.04”through 1.25” high on label sizes from0.25” to 1.5”. Brady, Booth 3507www.bradyid.com/lab
ANALYTICAL COLUMNThe CHIRALPAK® IC is designed for stabil-ity, separation reproducibility, and columndurability when used in normal phase,reversed phase, andSFC mode. It uses aDaicel immobiliza-tion technology on aCSP that results inrobust chiral separa-tions in screeningand preparativeapplications. It willbe available in ana-lytical, semi-preparative, SFC, and micro-bore columns.Chiral Technologies, Booth 2462www.chiraltech.com
ORGANIC CARBONANALYZERS
The Sievers® 900 Series total organic car-bon (TOC) analyzers are designed fororganic analysis in ultrapure and munici-pal quality waters focusing on pharma-ceutical, semiconductor, municipal, andpower generation applications. The appli-cation-specific analyzers (laboratory, on-line and portable models) offer analyticalperformance, productivity, and reliability. GE Analytical Instruments, Booth 2710www.geinstruments.com
ELECTRONIC HANDHELDDISPENSERS
The Repeater® stream and XStreamergonomic handheld dispensers dispenseliquids with high vapor pressure and/orhigh viscosity, while also preventing cross-contamination. They feature a motorizedpiston, intuitive programming and a one-button tip ejection system. The Xstream canalso perform titrations, supernatant removaland sequential dispensing.Eppendorf North America, Booth 1832www.eppendorfna.com
LOW CONCENTRATIONCHROMATOGRAPH
The Zetasizer Nano system has a flowmode option which enables the coupling ofdynamic light scattering with size exclusionchromatography. Designed to meet the lowconcentration and small sample volumerequirements of protein and other biomole-cular applications, its optical design andsensitivity capabilities can also be appliedto real time flow measurements. Malvern Instruments, Booth 2010www.malvern.com
SELF CONTAINEDMEMBRANE NITROGENGENERATOR
The NitroFlowLab is a self containedmembrane nitrogen generator that pro-duces 99% pure nitrogen with pressuresup to 116 psig. It produces nitrogen byutilizing a combination of compressors,filtration, and membrane separation tech-nologies. Typical applications includenebulizer gases, curtain gases, sourcegases, and more.Parker Balston Analytical Gas Systems,Booth 1865www.parker.com
SAFETY CABINETS
The Purifier® Digital Delta® Series SafetyCabinets are suitable to work with agentsthat require Biosafety level 1, 2, or 3. Atouchpad allows the user to activate manyof the cabinet’s functions. The cabinets areavailable in 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-foot benchtopmodels and carry NSF and ETL listings.Labconco Corporation, Booth 3825www.labconco.com
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HOW IT WORKS
Problem: Two-dimensional(2-D) gel electrophoresis is amulti-step procedure that can beused to separate hundreds to thou-sands of proteins with extremelyhigh resolution. The first stepinvolves the separation of proteinsin two dimensions using isoelectricfocusing in the first dimensionand SDS-PAGE in the seconddimension. The second step is thenon-specific localization of pro-tein spots that has traditionallybeen accomplished using visiblestains, such as Coomassie Blue orsilver, or more recently using fluo-rescent dyes such as SYPRO Ruby(Figure 1). The third step involvesrecording a high-resolution imageof the gel that is typically accom-plished using a scanner or CCD-based camera system. During thefinal step, an intensity and posi-tional-based analysis is performedon the images to mine relevantdata from the experiment. Aproblem arises from the fact thatthe best solution for each steprequires using systems from differ-ent vendors. In particular, bring-ing images from proprietary cap-ture system file formats into analy-sis software via conversion to tiffcan produce noise that can impactdata interpretation.
Solution: NonlinearDynamics Ltd, a global provider ofbioinformatics solutions, devel-oped the Progenesis platform for2-D gel data mining and analysis,and implemented algorithms thatallow users to directly importFuji’s proprietary .img file format.
Now, users have a complete solu-tion for 2-D gel applications(Figure 2).
Fujifilm Life Science USA,Inc. provides a family of scannerproducts capable of imaging 2-Dgels up to 40 cm x 46cm in size.These systems can image pro-teins labeled with colorimetric(i.e., Coomassie and silver), fluo-rescent (i.e., SYPRO Ruby), aswell as radiolabeled reporters ona single system. The ability touse up to four lasers (i.e., 473nm, 532 nm, 635 nm, and 670nm) as well as two photo-multi-
plier tubes, gives researchers theability to easily set up multi-spectral fluorescent labelingexperiments like the popularDIGE format. Fuji systems arecapable of scanning gels, up to a20-mm thickness, with scanningtimes for 20 cm x 23 cm areas ata 25-µm resolution in less than35 minutes. System software fileoutput is logarithmic and is inFuji’s proprietary .img format.
Nonlinear’s Progenesis soft-ware platform now accepts thelogarithmic .img file format andconverts it directly using algo-rithms supplied by Fuji. Once afile has been converted, userscan choose to process and ana-lyze the images with one of thesolutions in the Progenesis suite,depending on the stainingmethodology or level of func-tionality required. TheProgenesis range allows users toautomate gel processing withoutcompromising the quality of datagenerated, delivering highly reli-able and reproducible results. Itsupports the full 2-D workflowfrom spot detection and match-ing to identifying spots of inter-est within statistical parametersready for spot picking and massspectrometry.
For more information, go to fujifilmlifescienceusa.com
Figure 1: SYPRO Ruby-stained 2-D gelimage captured using a Fujifilm LifeScience USA FLA— 7000 scanner.
Figure 2: Progenesis software on acomputer running the FLA — 7000
Capturing 2-dimensional Gel Images
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Visit us on the Web at discover.bio-rad.comCall toll free at 1-800-4BIORAD (1-800-424-6723);outside the US, contact your local sales office.
Protein in your hands faster.Introducing the new Profinia™ protein purification system, an automated systemthat keeps your hands free for unraveling the really interesting questions.
Purify Your Samples, Simplify Your LifeA convenient and automated alternative to existing methods of purification, the Profinia protein purification system brings unprecedented speed andsimplicity to the purification of affinity-tagged proteins.
� Preprogrammed methods for IMAC (native and denaturing), GST, and desalting applications
� Large, informative touch screen interface allows easy navigation through protocol steps
� Optimized kits and reagents match the methods and the instrument for greater reproducibility and reduced preparation time
� Automatically calculated run data includes protein yield and concentration
For more information on the Profinia purification system, visit us on the Web at www.bio-rad.com/ad/profinia/
Purification of fusion proteins may require a license from third parties.
Automated Purification: 30 MinutesProfinia system affinity and desalting
Manual Purification: 0.5–4 HoursGravity-flow affinity (time for dialysis not shown)
Automated Affinity Purification
pp50-55 1/22/07 04:04 AM Page 50
A Reading List for Leaders On Their Way to the Top
career
From CareerJourna l .com
.
David Fowler joined The Chubb Corp. as a management trainee after graduating from BrownUniversity in 1967. In 37 years at the financial-services company, he held management roles inunderwriting, human resources, information technology and administration, including four yearsas chief executive officer of the Chubb Institute Inc., an educational-services subsidiary sold in2004.
Today Mr. Fowler is a vice chairman at WJM Associates Inc., heading the New York execu-tive-coaching firm’s advisory practice. We asked Mr. Fowler about books that helped him throughhis career and that he'd suggest to managers and professionals eyeing a CEO job today. Here’s thelist of his picks, with his comments on each:
WINNINGBy Jack Welch with Suzy Welch
“The theme of this book is that if you’re looking to rise to the top, no matter what job you have,over deliver. Don’t worry about politics, mentors or coaches. Just over deliver, and you will rise to thetop. [The author] gives great examples of what helped him do that.”
EXECUTION: THE DISCIPLINE OF GETTING THINGS DONE By Larry Bossidy (former chairman and CEO of Honeywell International Inc.) and Ram Charan with Charles Burck
“This book talks about the value of implementation and how exquisite execution is more importantthan a laid out strategy. It helps you focus on what’s important to get a business moving forward.”
LEADER SHOCK...AND HOW TO TRIUMPH OVER IT: EIGHT REVOLUTIONARY RULES FOR BECOMING A POWERFUL AND EXHILARATED LEADER By Greg Hicks
“This book helped me deal with some of the challenges I had in my career. What I got out of it washow to deal with disappointments in business and then rebound from them.”
AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP: REDISCOVERING THE SECRETS TO CREATING LASTING VALUE By Bill George
“The theme of this book is showing compassion, leading a balanced life and maintaining a high setof values and morals. It’s especially important today because of the scrutiny that business leaders are nowunder.”
THE ONE MINUTE MANAGERBy Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson
“This book gives guidance to managers and leaders on how to assign work and differentiate variouswork styles of employees. It’s very useful in terms of fundamentally learning the art of delegation and thedifferent approaches to work that employees take.”
WORKING WITH EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE By Daniel Goleman
“The emotional intelligence of a leader is as important as, if not more than, a person’s IQ. Thisbook can help you become more self-aware and balanced in your leadership style.”
Sarah E. Needleman
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IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE: LESSONS FROM AMERICA’S BEST-RUNCOMPANIES By Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman Jr.
“This book encourages leaders to make sure they recognize the pride that their workers have intheir products. It gets you to focus on who’s really doing the most meaningful work.”
THE HERO’S FAREWELL: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN CEOs RETIRE By Jeffrey Sonnenfeld
“How you handle your exit is very important, and this books makes you think about the kind oflegacy you want to leave behind. It describes the exit behaviors of CEOs and other top company lead-ers, and talks about how to go from being very powerful and high-profile to a retiree.“
This article is reprinted by permission from CareerJournal.com © 2006 Dow Jones & Co. Inc. All rights reserved.
careerNO
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news notesEDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER RECEIVESDISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD FORANALYTICAL LABORATORY MANAGEMENTDr. Wayne Collins, a member of the Lab Manager Magazine®editorial board, has been selected as the recipient of the 2006Distinguished Service Award for Analytical LaboratoryManagement sponsored by Agilent Technologies. This annualaward is presented to a single individual in recognition of out-standing performance and service to the profession of analyticallaboratory management. The award was presented at theAnalytical Laboratory Managers Association (ALMA) annualConference in Portland, OR, and consists of a plaque, $3,000honorarium, and up to $1,000 travel expenses to attend theConference.
Dr. Collins is currently Professional Services Manager forThermo Fisher Scientific. Previously, he was the laboratory managerfor Solvay Polymers (now Ineos) in Deer Park, TX for 24 years. Hehas also worked as a researcher studying the free radical distribu-tion in flames as a National Research Council-National Academyof Sciences Postdoctoral Fellow at NASA’s Johnson Space Center(Houston, TX) and the chemistry and physics of explosives withMonsanto Research Corporation (Miamisburg, OH). Wayneearned a MS degree in physical chemistry from Stephen F. AustinState University (Nacogdoches, TX), a Ph.D. in inorganic/analyticalchemistry from the University of Houston (Houston, TX), and a MBAwith emphasis in marketing from Wright State University (Dayton,OH). He also received a commission as an officer in the US ArmyChemical Corp. Wayne served as President of the AnalyticalLaboratory Managers Association in 2000 and continues to serveon the Board of Directors. He is currently Editor of Managing theModern Laboratory, writes and publishes the ALMA e-News, andconducts laboratory management workshops worldwide. He wasalso one of the founding members of the Houston Area LabManagers Group in 1996. He has published over 35 articles on
laboratory management, 21 research journal articles, co-authoredone book, and has given invited presentations at professional con-ferences in the US, Europe, and Australia.
The Distinguished Service Award for Analytical LaboratoryManagement recognizes outstanding performance and service tothe profession of analytical laboratory management. It began in2002 and is sponsored by Agilent Technologies. More informationon the award and nominations can be found at www.labman-agers.org.
FIRST AUSTRALIAN LABORATORY MANAGERSCONFERENCEScience Industry Australia (SIA), an industry trade group, organizedthe first Australian Laboratory Managers Conference in Melbourne,Victoria. The program included one-day management workshopsprior to the start of the conference that drew over sixty participantswhile the conference itself drew over 120 delegates. This level ofattendance at an inaugural conference with limited promotion con-firmed the high degree of interest in this topic in the region, andencouraged SIA to organize a second conference to be held inBrisbane in the fall of 2007. At the end of the conference, the for-mation of the Australasian Laboratory Managers Association wasannounced as an umbrella organization to promote education andnetworking among lab managers. Representatives from The RoyalAustralian Chemical Institute attending the conference also recog-nized the need for a professional association and are workingtoward creating a division of laboratory management within theirorganization.
While the conference drew participants primarily fromAustralia and New Zealand, SIA added an international flavor byincluding keynote addresses by Professor Claude Lucchesi,Northwestern University (Evanston, IL), and by Dr. Wayne Collins,Thermo Fisher Scientific (Sugar Land, TX). These guests representedthe U.S. based Analytical Laboratory Managers Association
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news notescontinued(ALMA) and explored opportunities for mutual cooperation with thenew organization. While the two organizations will not be formallyaffiliated, both recognize that that they have common goals and havepledged to look for additional areas where they can work together tofurther the profession of laboratory management.
The conference sessions included topics such as improving theanalytical support laboratory, people management, LaboratoryInformation Management Systems, regulatory and safety manage-ment, and business management. Both the presenters and the atten-dees came from widely diverse laboratory environments includingbasic chemical, mining, biotechnology, biological, medical, academ-ic, and government research, yet they found common ground in theirmanagement issues. Overall, the gathering marked a major milestonein the advancement of professional laboratory management inAustralasia.
To receive information about the next Laboratory ManagersConference in Brisbane in 2007, [email protected].
PERKINELMER BRIDGES BASIC SCIENCE ANDCLINICAL MEDICINE WITH TRANSLATIONALMEDICINE PLATFORMPerkinElmer has developed a suite of technologies in the pharmacoki-netic (ADME) and toxicology testing arena to enable faster progres-sion through the drug discovery pipeline. A combination of massspectrometry approaches, biochemical analyses of the phosphoryla-tion kinetic changes of proteins in the cell, as well as high-throughputinstrumentation and reagents for ADME/Tox screening allowresearchers a better understanding of disease processes, classificationof diseases, diagnosis modeling, and treatment protocols. Biomarkeranalysis and multiplexed systems link drug candidates to appropriatedisease targets, allowing a more rapid development workflow.
SIEMENS AND UCLA RESEARCHERS GET FDA''GREEN LIGHT'' FOR CLINICAL STUDY OFALZHEIMER'S-SPECIFIC IMAGING AGENTSiemens Medical Solutions announced that it will begin clinical trialsunder an investigational new drug (IND) application submitted to theFood and Drug Administration (FDA) for an imaging biomarker thatcould potentially identify Alzheimer's disease prior to the onset ofnoticeable symptoms.
Siemens will collaborate with leading Alzheimer's researchers atthe University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to launch a Phase I,Open Label, Single Center Safety Study of one of the first imagingbiomarkers designed to identify Alzheimer's disease pathology specif-ically. The study will employ a new diagnostic technique developedby UCLA researchers that combines the new imaging biomarker andpositron emission tomography (PET).
NIKON ANNOUNCES CELL CULTUREOBSERVATION DEVICENikon Instruments Inc. announced the BioStation CT, a fully integrat-ed, self - contained cell culture observation device and monitoring sys-tem that allows users with minimal microscopy experience to conductlive cell imaging locally or by remote operation over a public or private
network. The BioStation CT provides a system for managing, observingand recording cell growth, morphology, and protein expression in cul-ture by providing consistent environmental control of temperature,humidity, and gas concentration. The system allows numerousresearchers to perform multiple experiments with the same instrumentwithin the same period.
Applications for the Nikon BioStation CT include clinical medicinewhere researchers can determine the optimum selection of anticancerdrug combinations; re-generative medicine for stem cell culturing andcell differentiation; biotechnology based drug development and toxicol-ogy studies; drug discovery safety testing; biotechnology researchinvolving genome and proteome initiatives; and traditional bioscienceresearch using multi-channel fluorescence and time lapse imagerecording.
NEW APPLICATION NOTE ON THEDETERMINATION OF MERCURY IN WATERS Teledyne Leeman Labs, a manufacturer of analytical instrumentationfor elemental analysis, announced the publication of a new applica-tion note for laboratories that monitor mercury in water. Mecury’smobile nature allows it to diffuse through the air, soils, and ultimatelywater systems. Fish have the ability to bio-accumulate mercury (in itsmethylated form) to 100,000 times the concentration of the watersthey inhabit. As a result, fish consumption advisories are posted forover 2,000 bodies of water within the United States. Many laborato-ries are charged with the important task of monitoring mercury ineffluent, waste, and ambient waters. This method provides details forthe operation of the Hydra AA according to existing EPA methodolo-gy (7470 and 245.1). A copy of application note 1038, “TheDetermination of Mercury in Waters by Cold Vapor AtomicAbsorption Spectroscopy”, is available atwww.leemanlabs.com/resources/applications.
BRUKER AXS ANNOUNCES SCHOLARSHIPWINNERSDuring the 2006 Materials Research Society Fall Meeting, BrukerAXS announced the recipients of its 2006 Excellence in X-rayDiffraction (XRD) scholarships for unique applications in the categoriesof Materials Science and Geology and Chemistry. Hsiu-Wen Wangof the Indiana University Department of Geological Sciences,Bloomington was awarded the Bruker AXS 2006 Excellence in X-rayDiffraction scholarship for unique applications in the category ofGeology and Chemistry. The title of her winning paper is“Dehydration/Rehydration Induced Phase Transitions in Natrolite.”Graduate student (Ph.D.) Christian Long of the Department ofMaterials Science and Engineering and Center for SuperconductivityResearch, Department of Physics at the University of Maryland wasawarded the 2006 Bruker AXS Excellence in X-ray Diffraction scholar-ship again this year for unique applications in the category ofMaterials Science. His paper is entitled "Rapid Structural Mapping ofthe Ternary Metallic Alloy Systems Using the Combinatorial Approachand Cluster Analysis.”
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56 labmgr.comLabManager
SAFETYGUYSthe
In days of old when battles were fought with swords, arrows, and spears, warriors oftenwore armor for protection from an enemy intent on doing them harm. The armor theywore could sometimes be effective but it could be defeated and serious injury or deathcould still occur. The selection of armor determined, in part, the effectiveness. Forexample, chain mail would have no value against a blow from a mace but a shieldmight offer good protection if used properly. One’s chance of survival improved muchmore so if a castle wall was added between the invading army and the defenders. Wherecastle walls were not feasible or during the time they were being built, it was much bet-ter to be a soldier with proper armor (and knowing how to use it) than not.
Fast forward a thousand years to today’s laboratory and we find these basic conceptsstill remain — and are in fact built into current OSHA standards (29 CFR 1910Subpart I - 1910 Subpart I, Personal Protective Equipment). OSHA requires the first lineof line of defense against workplace hazards to be engineering controls (our castle walls).Controlling a hazard at its source is the first choice because this method can either elimi-nate it from the workplace altogether or isolate it from the worker. These controls mightinclude: ventilation controls (fume hood, gas cabinets, differential room pressures), equip-ment and container guarding or enclosures (e.g. glove boxes, radiation shielding), haz-ardous product substitution, or sometimes even adjusting scale or temperature of reaction.Engineering controls remove the hazard or keep the hazard from impacting us. Our per-sonal protective equipment (PPE) should be considered our last line of defense because itmeans the hazard has actually made it to us and without the PPE injury may very likelyoccur. PPE would include items such as respirators, gloves, lab coats, boots, face shields,goggles, hearing protection, etc.
From a good practices (and OSHA) perspective one must use engineering or adminis-trative controls over the use of PPE unless one can demonstrate engineering controls areinfeasible. One may also use PPE during the interim period where a hazard is discovered andengineering controls have not yet been installed. OSHA says:1
“Employers are required to determine if PPE should be used to protect theirworkers. If PPE is to be used, a PPE program should be implemented. This pro-gram should address the hazards present; the selection, maintenance, and use ofPPE; the training of employees; and monitoring of the program to ensure itsongoing effectiveness.”
OSHA requires documentation that the equipment selection is based on the hazard,that employees have properly fitted equipment, they are trained on the equipmentassigned, and that the equipment is kept in good repair. A good PPE program alsoincludes a monitoring aspect of the program to ensure the equipment used is still appro-priate for the job and that the employees are actually wearing and maintaining it proper-ly.
Let’s take a look at these elements individually. Workplace Survey/Experimental Design Evaluation: Job Hazard Analysis (JHA), as it isknown in industry, is the first step in identifying hazards and controls. It is throughthis process where one assesses the potential risks associated with a particular task,process, or job and devises ways to control or eliminate them before an injury or accidentoccurs. The technique focuses on analysis of the individual tasks or steps associated with ajob and the identification of controls for the hazards in each step. PPEmust be used when the hazard cannot be removed or controlled ade-quately (such as acid-washing glassware) or when PPE use is requiredby specific regulation or federal guidelines (such as working with BSL-2
Glenn Ketcham, CIH and Vince McLeod, CIH
The Last Line of
Defense– PPE
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agents). The hazards should be identified in the chemicalhygiene plan and addressed in the laboratory specific standardoperating procedures (SOPs). In some situations, determiningnoise exposure or exposure to toxic materials where air sam-pling may be required is often best conducted by a health andsafety professional.
Selection of appropriate PPE: Many labs use an approachwhere each body area is considered from a PPE perspective:eyes, face, head, hands, feet, ears/hearing, respiratory system,and whole body. Using the acid-washing example, the JHAmight identify eye hazards (chemical splash), chemical splashto the body, face/head and hands. Protection from splash intothe eyes and face might be accomplished using chemical gog-gles and a face shield. Long gloves would be selected that pre-vent skin wetting and contamination by the acid wash. Theglove selection should include consulting chemical compati-bility charts (available from all major chemical glove manu-facturers or distributors) before a decision is made. A chemi-cally resistant apron would also be appropriate in thisinstance. Employees should also be given a choice, wherepossible, of several different PPE options (that meet the safetyrequirement) based on personal comfort and preference.OSHA provides good assistance through the use of eToolsand other guidance.2,3
Fitting: If PPE does not fit properly its effectiveness is oftendrastically reduced. If you have safety glasses that slide downyour face because they are too large, protection is lost.Respirators must fit properly or they are ineffective. There arerespirator fit test methods using specialized equipment to quan-titatively assess fit or challenge tests where isoamyl acetate, sac-charin, Bitrex, or irritant smoke is used. Gloves may be toolarge, creating entanglement hazards, or may be too tight,reducing circulation or causing fatigue. Once the proper fit isidentified, it should be in the employee’s records.
Training: Workers need to know:• When PPE is necessary — what jobs or areas require
use of PPE?• What PPE is necessary — all the PPE required for spe-
cific tasks • How to properly put on, take off, adjust, and wear their
assigned PPE • Limitations of the PPE — for example, gloves don’t
protect against all materials equally well. You wouldn’twant someone wearing latex gloves for protectionagainst carbon disulfide or a dust mask for protectionagainst solvent vapors. There have been injuries andfatalities resulting from misunderstanding on the limitsof PPE use.
• Proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal of thePPE
Someone who really understands these key points andcan answer questions accurately should conduct training. Theworkers should walk away from training with a good under-standing before being allowed to conduct work requiring theuse of PPE. This should not be a “paperwork exercise.” OSHAinspectors will often quiz workers to see if they understand why
they are wearing PPE, the hazards they are protecting them-selves against, and how they care for and store their equipment.
Maintenance: All too often we see old, damaged, andpotentially dangerous PPE used or stored by employees.Examples include dirty, misshapen respirators with ancientcartridges or missing valves, glasses or goggles so scratchedone could not imagine wearing them, contaminated gloves orlab coats, etc. PPE must be taken care of to adequately pro-tect the worker. Poorly maintained and cleaned equipmentcan actually put workers in greater danger. Making sure thatequipment is properly maintained is a key component of theprogram.
Monitoring of the program: As PPE is the last line ofdefense for workers, it is very important to audit the programon an ongoing basis. This would include thorough investiga-tion of any accidents or near-misses involving the use or lackof PPE. Monitoring in a lab is often easier than some otherindustries as the lab manager has the luxury of observing thestaff and students on a daily basis as they go about their dailytasks. Don’t let bad habits become ingrained in the lab cul-ture.
OSHA provides some excellent resources and links ontheir website (www.osha.gov). Equipment vendors and tech-nical support people can provide information on specific pro-tective equipment. Many people equate safety with PPE. Itcan be very effective in preventing injury but it is also themost vulnerable to failure as it relies on people to consistentlyand properly use the PPE each time.
Resources:1.http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/personalprotectiveequipment/i
ndex.html2.http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/respiratory/respirator_s
election.html3.http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/eyeandface/index.html
Glenn Ketcham is a Certified Industrial Hygienist with 22years experience in the health and safety field. He is currently theRisk Manager for the University of Florida with responsibility for theloss prevention, ergonomics, disaster preparedness, and the occupa-tional medicine surveillance programs. He has managed the labora-tory safety programs for both the University of California, SanDiego (UCSD) and the University of Florida. In addition, heserved as an industrial hygienist with federal OSHA complianceand has a masters degree in environmental engineering sciences witha health physics concentration.
Vince McLeod is a Certified Industrial Hygienist and the sen-ior IH with the University of Florida’s Environmental Health andSafety Division. He has 17 years of occupational health and safetyexperience in academic research with focus in the research laborato-ry. His specialties are in hazard evaluation and exposure assess-ments.
The Safety Guys welcome your comments and questions. You canemail them at [email protected].
labmgr.com LabManager 57
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LabManager58
human fac to r s
Meetings can be an excellent opportunity to getnoticed, create allies, and participate in teamefforts. Yet many researchers tend to sit passivelyduring meetings and let decisions be made withouttheir participation. How can you participate con-structively and help achieve meeting objectiveswhile using meetings as an arena to boost your rep-utation?
PREPARING FOR THE MEETINGBe familiar with the meeting subject and agenda.This will enable you to prepare by thinking aboutthe subject and possibly reading background materi-al. You will better understand how you can partici-pate and contribute.
Dress appropriately. For example, as aresearcher meeting with engineers in a paper mill, Iwill wear a golf shirt or sports shirt and casual slacksbecause jackets and ties are definitely out of placethere. However, business dress is usually the mostappropriate attire for high-level corporate meetings.
Arrive on time and choose a strategic seat. Sitnear your supervisor to show support. Latecomersand people who oppose the boss or the subject ofthe meeting often will sit far away from the boss ormeeting organizer. If your boss is not there yet,choose a seat that will give you a good view of anyvisual aids that will be used. Try to choose a seattoward the middle of the table where you will havethe maximum number of neighbors and be at thecenter of the discussion action.
PRACTICE ACTIVE LISTENINGActive listening is an important teamwork andmeeting skill. Follow presentations and discussionsclosely. Asking pertinent questions at appropriatepoints and nodding to indicate understanding allserve to show the presenter and other attendeesthat you are an interested participant in the meet-ing.
Asking questions indicates your interest andserves to obtain additional information. Avoid ask-ing questions in an abrasive or overly aggressiveway. Open-ended questions, often beginning withthe words how, why, or what, usually prompt anextended response. Asking open-ended questions
often helps to settle major issues and define options.Closed-ended questions, that often begin with
who, which, or when, usually solicit a relativelybrief response. They are best used to solicit veryspecific information and as a process check to besure you understand a previous answer.
Speak up at appropriate points to ask questionsor state your own views. Speak distinctly.Nervousness has a tendency to make you speak rap-idly, often in a low tone. Be aware of your poorspeech behaviors and guard against them.
When you speak, be concise. Other attendeeswill lose interest while you make long, poorlyorganized statements. If possible, mentally preparean organized statement. For example, starting with“I think there are three factors to consider” willguarantee your audience’s interest as listen to learnwhat these three factors are.
Body language can also indicate interest, sup-port, and understanding. Sit upright and leantoward the table. Look at the person speaking andmake frequent eye contact.
Avoid negative body language such as crossingyour arms across your chest, frowning, or gazing intospace. Don’t slouch in your chair or lean back fromthe table. These behaviors indicate opposition orlack of interest.
BE OPEN-MINDED When listening to others, being patient helps themto feel they are participating without thinking thatyou are trying to take over the meeting and “rail-road” others into accepting your point of view.
Be open to opposing points of view. Don’t gointo a meeting with your mind made up beforehearing others’ opinions. There may be a significantfactor you haven’t considered. This will help you beon the “winning side” more often.
In the interest of group harmony, once a deci-sion is made, go along with it even if you disagree.When you disagree before a decision is made, neverapologize for your position or become emotional.Rely on facts. However, opposing prevailing logictoo often can create a reputationthat you are an unsupportive, nega-tive person.
Business Meeting Basics
John K. Borchardtlabmgr.com
>>
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Application Note
A Comparative Analysis of Ultraviolet Light vs High-HeatSterilization in a Cell Culture CO2 IncubatorThe SafeCell™ UV sterilization system process arrests and destroyscontaminants within the incubator chamber and compares favorably tohigh-heat sterilization at +90 °C and +140 °C.In 2001, SANYO Electric Biomedical Co., Ltd. (Osaka, Japan) introduced a cell cul-ture CO2 incubator, which employs an isolated narrow-bandwidth ultraviolet light todestroy airborne contaminants in the incubator chamber, as well as water-borneorganisms in the humidity water reservoir. In 2006, comparative testing performed bya certified independent testing laboratory* suggests that the SANYO ultraviolet lightsterilization process is as effective against bacteria, yeasts, and molds as high-heat ster-ilization at sustained temperatures ranging from +90 °C to +140 °C offered in com-petitive products. Additionally, the model MCO-18AIC-UV CO2 incubator isolates theUV light emission from cell cultures during normal operation to permit sterilization ofthe internal atmosphere following routine door openings without damaging cell cul-tures, a process that cannot be replicated with a heat sterilization technique.
CONTAMINATION SOURCESTypical incubator contaminants include bacteria, yeast, and mold. Although mostcell culture work is performed in a biological safety cabinet, such contaminants can-not be eliminated during transfer, nor can they be totally reduced by adding expen-sive antibiotics to culture media, or chemical algaecides and fungicides to the incu-bator chamber surfaces and humidity reservoir. In general, unless work is being per-formed in a Class III environment, laboratory investigators accept the fact that somemigration of airborne contaminants into the incubator chamber is unavoidable.
ALTERNATIVE TO HEAT STERILIZATIONManufacturers of laboratory incubators claim to solve contamination problems withvarious approaches to incubator design. Some of these operational techniques aremoderately successful but most require periods of downtime during which culturesmust be removed and placed in other incubators to maintain temperature, humidity,and CO2 levels. The need for continued protection during the cell culture process isacute. Following years of research and testing, SANYO Electric Biomedical Co.introduced the SafeCell™ UV sterilization system (U.S. patent no. 6,255,103), asterilization technology described as Active Background Contamination Control™.This process arrests and destroys contaminants within the incubator chamber, andalso compares favorably to high-heat sterilization offered by leading industry com-petitors at +90 °C and +140 °C.
UV STERILIZATION EFFICACYThe UV system is based on an isolated, narrow-bandwidth (253.7-nm) ozone-free ultra-violet lamp interlocked with the incubator door. The interior comprises copper-enrichedstainless steel components. A directional airflow and containment plenum surrounds theUV-exposed humidity reservoir in a removable, stainless steel pan. The multifacetedapproach to contamination control is designed to destroy airborne particulates intro-duced during door openings, as well as contaminants that grow in the water reservoir.
OVERNIGHT OR EVENT UV STERILIZATIONIndependent testing confirms that the UV sterilization technique is equally effectiveagainst contamination as conventional high-heat sterilization over a range of+90 °C to +140 °C. During overnight or event sterilization of the incubator cham-
ber, all interior components are removed for autoclaving, expos-ing all interior surfaces to ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet light affectsDNA by causing pyrimidine dimers to form when adjacent pyrimi-dine bases on the DNA strand become covalently linked (i.e.,chemically bonded to one another). The dimer disrupts the normalreplication of the DNA or transcription to make proteins anddestroys contaminants.
SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY OF UV DURING IN SITU OPERATIONDuring normal operation when cells are being incubated withinthe chamber, the UV lamp is visibly isolated from the cell culturechamber by a plenum cover over the humidity pan, permitting UVsterilization of circulated, humidified air and humidity pan surfacewater to remain in process without damaging the cells.
ACTIVE BACKGROUND CONTAMINATION CONTROLTogether with the passive resistance of copper-enriched stainless steel,the active effort to destroy airborne contaminants in vitro forms aneffective Active Background Contamination Control unique to theSANYO incubator with UV sterilization function. As the cell cultureprocess proceeds in the incubator chamber, the work of germicidalprotection from airborne organisms continues unabated without costlydowntime. This protection extends to thermophilic organisms as well.
*Independent test results. Independent testing funded by SANYOE&E America Co. and performed by Celsis Analytical Services,St. Louis, MO. Detailed test results are available at www.sanyobiomedical.com/beattheheat.
SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. Osaka, Japan.
For more information contact:Deepak Mistry, Marketing Manager,
SANYO E&E America Co., 1062 Thorndale Ave., Bensenville, IL60106, U.S.A.; 800-858-8442; [email protected].
Model MCO-18AIC-UVCO2 incubator,
6.0 ft3 (170 L) withintegrated UV light
decontamination systemand copper-enriched
interior surfaces.
Bacteria Yeast Mold
Enterococcus faecalis
Organism
Control Count
Log Reduction
Log Reduction
Log Reduction
>4.5
>4.5
>4.5
SANYO MCO-18AIC-UV, Ultraviolet Light @ 253.7nm
Elevated Heat at +140°C
Elevated Heat at 90°C
89,000 cfu/ml 290,000 cfu/ml 300,000 cfu/ml 360,000 cfu/ml
>2.9
>2.9
>2.7
>2.7
>2.7
>2.9
10,000 cfu/ml 44,000 cfu/ml 23,000 cfu/ml 9,000 cfu/ml 5,000 cfu/ml
Escherichia coli
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Salmonella typhimurium
Bacillus subtilis (6633)
Bacillus subtilis (control)
Bacillus stearothermophilius
(control)
Candida albicans
Aspergilius niger
pp59new.qxd 1/29/07 11:20 PM Page 59
If you feel you find yourself in opposition to deci-sions too frequently, it is a good idea to consider whetheryou are truly compatible with the prevailing corporateculture. Find out if your team leader or supervisor thinksyou are in opposing positions too often. It may be thatthere is a deep-seated compatibility problem and youshould seek employment in another department oranother company. Also, find out if your supervisor thinksyou are being abrasive when speaking in opposition.
These techniques are also useful in meetings withcustomers and suppliers, during professional society com-mittee and governance meetings, and during questionperiods after technical presentations.
Dr. Borchardt is a consultant and technical writer. Theauthor of the book “Career Management for Scientists andEngineers,” he writes often on career-related subjects. He canbe reached at [email protected].
labmgr.com
Lab Bratz © 2005-2006 Edward Dunphy http://LabBratz.comicgenesis.com
AACC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61Applied Biosystems . . . . . . . . . .31-33Barnstead International . . . . . . . . . . .7Biodirect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29Bio-Rad Laboratories . . . . . . . . . . .50BrandTech Scientific . . . . . . . . . . . .16CAEAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39Getinge USA, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . .48Hanna Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64Labconco Corporation . . . . . . . . . .24Mecour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29Meinhard Glass Products . . . . . . . .41Molecular Devices Corporation . . . .38Nor-Lake, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21Nova Analytics . . . . . . . . . . . . .10-11
NuAire Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12OI Analytical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28Parker Hannifin Corporation . . . . . .25PerkinElmer Life & Analytical Sciences 5Pierce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26Rees Scientific Corp. . . . . . . . . . . .20ResinTech/Aries Filter Works . . . . . .40Sanyo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53Sanyo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59Sigma - Aldrich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Sonics & Materials Incorporated . . .40Starlims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63Tecan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36Thermo Fisher Scientific . . . . . . . . .2-3Thermo Fisher Scientific . . . . . . . . .22
A D V E R T I S E R I N D E X
LabManager60
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education networking exposition
AACC2007 Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo
July 15-19, 2007San Diego, California
More than 20,000 participants. Nearly 700 exhibitors. This is your opportunity to find, in one place, the most comprehensive educational sessions and display of lab products and services for clinical, biotechnology,
pharmaceutical and other labs.
Who should attend: Lab Managers, Department Directors, Administrators, Academic and Industry Scientists,
Lab Purchasing and Technology Managers
Management topics cover: Personnel Management, Lab Outreach, Customer Service, Financial Management, Instrument
and Method Evaluation and other related topics
For the most up-to-date program and current list of exhibitors, please visit www.aacc.org.
Registration opens: March 26, 2007
pp58-61xxxx 1/22/07 09:29 PM Page 61
t he in te r v iew
In 1977, aspiring chemist Phil Stewart seemed well on his way. An ad in the Boston Globe ledto a job as a production chemist for Boston-based New England Nuclear Corporation (NEN), aleading producer of specialized biomedical products.
But a funny thing happened en route to an illustrious lab career; “early on,” he discovered “Iwould never be a great bench chemist.” And so, a manager was born.
Stewart bulked up his knowledge of “the management piece — the theory of manufacturingand continuous improvement.” He devoured the writings of the legendary quality control patriarchWilliam Edwards Deming, who pioneered the application of statistical methods to industrial produc-
tion during the mid-20th century. Gradually, he acquired the requisite people skills, and learned managerialmoxie from workplace mentors.
Now 50, Stewart is Boston Site Manager for PerkinElmer, Inc., whose life science arm manufacturesproducts for drug discovery and genetic screening, including 4,000 radioactive and non-radioactive reagentsunder the NEN brand. He also oversees PerkinElmer’s satellite manufacturing sites in Billerica, MA,Montreal, and Groningen, Netherlands, responsible for all manufacturing, shipping and distribution, facilitiesmaintenance, regulatory compliance, and safety and quality systems operations.
Under his watch, the company’s Life Science arm has racked up its share of wins, returning “consistentsix to 10 percent net cost productivity in a declining sales environment,” streamlining process flows, and sur-passing 97 percent on time delivery to customers while decreasing inventory costs substantially over the lastthree years. But few topics — besides his beloved Boston Red Sox, which he honors with season tickets —excite Stewart like continuous manufacturing improvement.
“The ability to see continuous improvement is attractive. There is a rigidity and formality to manufactur-ing…clear metrics you can watch over time; when you make changes, you can see the impact. WhereasR&D rewards folks for new products and breakthroughs, manufacturing rewards you for making the same stuffevery time, often over a period of years. Sounds boring, but it has its own challenges I enjoy.”
Although others had a hand molding Stewart’s managerial ethos — whether educating him on the needfor a communication to “hold its intent as it’s passed along” down the line, or the value of process R&D —none govern his thinking like the Iowa-born Deming, whose precepts first revolutionized Japan’s auto andelectronics industries during the 1970s before gaining traction in corporate America in the form of productquality systems like Six Sigma. Stewart documents PerkinElmer’s Six Sigma program as saving millions overthree years, “and quality improvements visible to our customers every day. But when times get tight, it’s thefirst thing lots of companies downsize. That’s shortsighted.
“Early in my career, we used to talk about complaints as a percentage of orders. Now our quality metricslook at Defective Parts per Million, which also pays off in reduced rework and scrap costs.
“The single biggest thing I got from Deming was to make decisions based on data. Far too often, folksassume. Deming also pointed out that people always try to do the right thing. If they are making errors, likeproducing out-of-spec product, they don’t have the right tools or training. Deming correctly stated this is man-agement’s primary role — to supply correct resources and training.”
Nothing trained Stewart for moving from hands-on lab work into middle management — “thetoughest transition in my career. It takes patience; you go from ‘Let’s change this by Friday’ to taking the longview. And the actions taken are not always what you envision. It took a while to appreciate there was often abetter result.” He also had to develop financial acumen, learning to “convert our needs into actions chemistsand biologists can understand,” like lab reductions of expensive radioactive waste.
Stewart advocates cross training “to allow the free transfer of knowledge” and to “keep people from get-ting too stale or too comfortable,” and believes “the outside eye is very beneficial. Folks outside the immediateoperation sit in on project improvement teams. We start with the premise no question is too stupid and gofrom there.” His managerial style “empowers” employees, while establishing high expectations, clear bound-aries and feedback loops.
Francis Key Kidder started out as a journalist before moving on to politics and government relations, where hestill keeps his hand in writing. He may be reached at 410-828-6529; [email protected].
F. Key Kidder
Philip StewartBoston Site ManagerPerkinElmer LAS
LabManager62 labmgr.com
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STARLIMS is built from the ground up as an entirely web-based application, representing an important step beyondtraditional web-enabled LIMS. For the first time ever, astandard web browser is all that authorized users need toeasily share laboratory data_at any time and from anylocation around the globe. With this kind of universal role-based access to information, collaboration opportunitiesexpand enormously_within the lab, between labs, and withglobal customers and partners.
STARLIMS leverages advanced Internet technologies suchas .NET, programmable XML and "fail-safe" server clusteringto provide an unsurpassed feature set: high performance,HTTPS-based security, virtually unlimited scalability and24/7 availability. Other important benefits includestraightforward integration of multiple lab and management
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Of course, all this is combined with all the industry-leading functionalities STARLIMS has developed over 20years of LIMS-only R&D: a multiple-tier platform that keepsbusiness logic intact during version upgrades; an intuitivetrue-to-life GUI for a rich user experience; a comprehensiveset of tools and wizards that meets most requirements inmost labs; and the industry-specific know-how to make yourimplementation a success.
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pp58-60 1/21/07 09:35 PM Page 63
