New York Blog

The Secrets to Successful Lab Management

It’s Tuesday. As a part of my Tuesday ritual, I went to a colloquium that I have been attending on a weekly basis throughout the year. It is part of the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) educational program at Columbia University. This colloquium offers junior faculty members and predoctoral students training in areas that are usually learn-as-you-go in the world of scientific research (such as talking to the media or conflict of interest). But today’s topic was one that is relevant to anyone looking for a career in research: Successfully Managing a Laboratory

The speaker was seasoned researcher and principal investigator (PI), Karina Davidson. Dr. Davidson is an expert on psychosocial interventions for patients with heart disease, but years of experience have also made her an expert on managing a lab. She shared her insight on hiring and managing a variety of employees.

Students, Residents, Fellows, and Other Trainees

When it comes to determining who should enter your lab, the rule of thumb is screen, screen, and screen again. If a potential student expresses interest in your lab, ask them to read some of your recent work and be ready to discuss it with you. This will help to eliminate those not really interested in your research. If you request this of a potential student and they don’t complete the task, you are probably better off without them. If the student does complete this task, invite them in for an interview. Be aware of the student’s preparation and promptness during the interview process. This will help to eliminate careless and sloppy workers. Finally, after meeting with a potential student, send them an email reviewing what was discussed so that there are no misconceptions about the position.

During the interview process, it is critical that the mentor and interviewee clearly communicate their expectations for the training period. Discuss details like authorship of potential papers and intellectual contributions required of the trainee. Dr. Davidson pointed out that most failed mentor-student relationships result from differential expectations of what the training experience should be. This issue can be avoided by drawing up a sort of mentoring contract before training begins.

Once a trainee has decided to join your lab, as them to report to you on a weekly basis. Dr. Davison requires that all her trainees write her an email discussing their goals for the upcoming week, their accomplishments during the past week, and their current experimental progress. Even things like reading a research article can be included in the weekly report. No accomplishment is too small. This will help the mentor and the trainee stay on the same page. For most labs, regular lab meetings will suffice here, but any system that allows the mentor to recognize trainee progress and difficulties will benefit both of them.

Staff

Hiring and managing laboratory staff is often difficult and time consuming. Most PIs have no interest in this aspect of their career. But one should be cautious, as unqualified staff can be disruptive to both lab morale and research progress.

But with little training available in this area, what is one to do? For starters, Dr. Davidson suggests finding a mentor. Identify someone with excellent hiring and managing techniques and seek their advice. Additionally, when interviewing a potential staff member, have those that are most familiar with the job requirements interview them first. Then, invite the interviewee back for a second interview with other lab members. If a potential staff member is not qualified or does not mesh with the lab mentality, it will likely be recognized in one of the two interviews.

Additionally, invite a potential staff member in for a sample work session. While they may look good on paper, testing their technical skills is always a good idea. It will also show you if the potential employee is enthusiastic about the position.

Collegues

Though one can’t really manage their colleges, it is important that you choose your collaborators wisely. What is Dr. Davidson’s suggestion? Work with those that are the most enjoyable to work with. While you can’t always pick and choose collegues, try your best to surround yourself with like-minded scientists that share your attitude towards research. This will make for the most effective and enjoyable scientific collaborations.

So, while managing a research laboratory is undoubtedly going to have its bumps in the road, seeking advice of a more experienced PI, such as Dr. Davidson, will help to pave them over.

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