Starting a New Lab for Chemical Analysis

Why Should You Attend:

Have you been put in charge of starting a new lab?

The attitudes when facing the prospect of starting a new lab may range from underestimating the amount of work and planning needed to be overwhelmed by the enormous number and array of tasks to consider before the lab can be ready to accept samples. Are you worried that your management or investors don’t really understand how large this undertaking is?

This webinar is meant to assist the person in charge of setting up the lab and his or her management outline a realistic plan to approach this project to avoid costly mistakes or oversights.

Are you not quite sure if you have thought about all the issues involved in the start-up?

While there are many aspects of a start-up common to most labs, no two labs are the same, especially when getting down to details. The presenter will relate some insights and make recommendations based personal experiences that will perhaps save the attendee time and money.

Do you understand how completing various tasks in the project are dependent on the completion of other tasks or the timelines of outside contractors or vendors? This webinar will provide information to set up a timeline with time dependences to be considered for completion of the project.

The process of starting a new lab, whether it be a private lab from scratch, expansion to a new lab building, or a new venture or transformation of mission within an established lab should never be underestimated. The presenter has experience in starting five such laboratories in the private commercial, contract research, state and federal government sectors. Considerations for a new lab include planning the physical facilities for workflow, heat generation and adequate ventilation, a sufficient number and size of fume hoods to accommodate large equipment, accommodations for safe sample, reference material and solvent and reagent storage, installation of a security system and safety equipment and laboratory workstations. A large part of the planning process and expense includes purchase of the most appropriate type and number of analytical instruments that properly anticipates the scope, breadth and depth of future work. A laboratory where several expensive, specialized instruments sit idle alongside a few overworked ones indicates poor planning. Beyond the physical plant and instrumentation, a quality system needs to be developed for the new lab targeted to the new work to be undertaken. Method validation and reporting procedures will require the greatest amount of time and should not be shortchanged. Finally, hiring personnel will determine the success of the lab and should comprise a balanced mix of technicians, instrument specialists and scientists.

Areas Covered in the Webinar:

• Planning the physical facilities for workflow
• Planning adequate ventilation and sufficient power resources
• Planning safety equipment
• Planning laboratory workstations
• Overseeing laboratory construction
• Installation of fume hoods
• Accommodations for safe sample, reference material, solvent and reagent storage
• Installation of a security system and establishing a security policy
• Purchase of analytical instrumentation, equipment and materials
• Hiring of personnel
• Establishing a quality system
• Purchase, installation and programming a laboratory data system
• Method validation and reporting procedures

Who Will Benefit:

• Chemistry laboratory manager
• Supervisory chemist
• Quality assurance manager
• Method development and validation chemist
• Laboratory data system manager
• Human resources manager

Free Materials:

• Reference documents
• Project timeline example
• Articles

James Peterson
Forensic Chemistry Consultant, James C Peterson LLC

Dr. James C. Peterson has a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from the University of Maryland and has over 36 years of analytical chemistry laboratory experience in academic, private, state, and federal laboratories. As a qualified chemist forensic examiner for the FBI Laboratory, he managed and oversaw forensic chemical examinations of evidence for the presence of chemical weapons. He has served as an analytical chemistry expert witness in legal cases related to the human exposure to toxic chemicals.

Dr. Peterson directed the start-up of five analytical laboratories which included the preparation of quality assurance documentation, instrumentation qualification and method development and validation. He has developed numerous methodologies for the detection and identification of toxic chemicals and drugs in human blood and urine, trace evidence and environmental samples and has given scientific presentations and training seminars at local, national and international conferences.

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