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Most labs don’t fail audits because of a single catastrophic mistake. They fail because of a hundred small ones: all unseen, undocumented, and unaddressed until it’s too late.

That’s why being audit ready is more than a box-ticking exercise. It’s a powerful lens into your lab’s operational health, revealing how your systems really function day to day. And for labs still running on outdated processes, scattered spreadsheets, manually updated training logs, or compliance that depends on memory, the cracks may not be obvious until an audit, incident, or lawsuit brings them to light.

That’s a gamble few organizations can afford. Today, regulators, funding bodies, and internal stakeholders are raising the bar, expecting not just documentation, but traceability. Not just policies, but proof. Being audit ready isn’t just about inspection day. It’s about every day.

But while expectations have evolved, many lab infrastructures haven’t. Legacy systems, point solutions, and disconnected tools have created fragmented ecosystems where risk hides in plain sight. Manual workarounds have become everyday processes. And safety, inventory, and training systems often operate in isolation from the research itself.

This whitepaper explores how audit readiness has become a critical marker of organizational risk—and what labs can do to stay ahead. We examine how fragmented systems introduce risk across reproducibility, safety, compliance, and scientific integrity—and how integrated digital systems like the SciSure Scientific Management Platform (SMP) can transform audit readiness from a scramble into a strategic advantage.

Audit readiness as a key driver of risk mitigation

Being audit ready isn’t just a compliance milestone. It’s a stress test for your organization’s entire operations. When you ask, “Are we audit ready?”, you’re really asking:

• Are our data and records accurate, complete, and accessible?
• Are our people properly trained and up to date?
• Are our systems connected enough to provide clear answers when questions are asked?

If the answer is no, or “We think so”, you’re already carrying risk.

From increased regulatory scrutiny to real-world safety failures and mounting concerns over scientific reproducibility, audit readiness is emerging as a critical safeguard. Beyond being a compliance goal—it’s a structural prerequisite for resilient, credible science.

Risk in scientific environments can manifest in several ways:

• Regulatory risk: Non-compliance can trigger inspections, fines, shutdowns, or even legal action.
• Operational risk: Poor visibility leads to missed errors, redundant work, and inconsistent practices.
• Reputational risk: One safety breach, contamination event, or citation can damage trust for years.
• Scientific risk: If you can’t reproduce or trace your work, you can’t stand behind your results.

Rising regulatory pressure

For labs worldwide, regulatory scrutiny is intensifying. In May 2025, a U.S. Executive Order titled “Improving the Safety and Security of Biological Research” introduced sweeping changes, requiring scientific organizations to implement stronger oversight policies. This includes enforcement clauses, public reporting and updated definitions of what constitutes risky research. 
Notably, the policy applies to both federally and non-federally funded labs, expanding government oversight and requiring labs to demonstrate transparent traceability, robust incident-reporting and robust credentialling of personnel. In practice, this means comprehensive documentation of agent inventories, safety assessments, lab personnel training and records, and auditable incident logs.

Real-world safety consequences

Safety lapses in scientific laboratories remain far more common than most organizations realize, and the fallout can be severe. A 2021 observational study of 220 laboratory workers found that 45% reported experiencing at least one accident during their lab work¹. Furthermore, between 2001 and 2018, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) documented 120 academic research laboratory accidents, including chemical leaks, fires, and evacuations². Such incidents are often tied to inadequate procedural controls, insufficient training, and fragmented record-keeping.

One of the most prominent cases remains the death of UCLA researcher Sheri Sangji, who suffered fatal burns in 2008 after handling pyrophoric reagents without proper training or protective clothing³. The resulting criminal case marked the first U.S. prosecution for a university lab accident, costing UCLA millions in legal fees and severely damaging its reputation.

The reputational and scientific integrity cost

Beyond fines, lawsuits, and safety incidents, a lack of audit readiness can erode the most valuable asset a scientific organization has: trust. When data cannot be traced, reproduced, or validated, its credibility—and yours—comes into question. In highly regulated fields such as drug development, diagnostics, and translational research, even minor documentation gaps can derail regulatory submissions, stall clinical programs, or jeopardize funding and partnerships.

Reproducibility failures are a widely acknowledged crisis in science. A Nature survey of 1,500 scientists found that more than 70% had failed to reproduce another researcher’s results, and over 50% couldn’t reproduce their own findings⁴. While the causes are multifactorial, poor data management and incomplete records are major contributors.

In this context, being audit ready is about more than inspections—it’s a safeguard for scientific integrity. It ensures that every step, sample, and decision is recorded, accessible, and defensible. Without that foundation, even groundbreaking results risk being dismissed, disputed, or lost entirely. Put simply: if you can’t prove it, you can’t trust it, and neither can anyone else.

Labs that are truly audit ready aren’t just prepared for inspections—they’re equipped for the unexpected. They operate with connected systems, real-time oversight, and built-in traceability that supports everyday decisions. Seen in this light, audit readiness becomes more than a compliance checkbox—it’s a leading indicator of operational integrity, scientific rigor, and institutional trustworthiness.

Where are labs going wrong?

Most labs don’t fall short on audit readiness because they lack effort or expertise. They often fall short because their systems were never built for it.

Audit risk tends to build slowly, creeping in through the accumulation of small gaps and manual workarounds that go unnoticed until it's too late. Across training, inventory, safety and documentation, many labs still rely on processes that are fragmented, reactive and hard to verify.

Common weak points include:

• Manual tracking of training and competencies: Staff certifications are often recorded on spreadsheets or paper forms, with no automated alerts when training expires. This makes it hard to ensure personnel are qualified—and impossible to prove it during an audit without scrambling.
• Siloed safety systems: Safety audits, chemical inventories, and incident reports are frequently tracked in disconnected tools—separate from the workflows where risk actually occurs. This leaves gaps in traceability and makes it harder to identify systemic issues.
• Outdated inventory management: Labs often struggle to track reagents, samples, and assets in real time. Without reliable inventory logs, it’s difficult to maintain chain of custody or identify expired or misused materials—major red flags in any inspection.
• Isolated point solutions: Even when digital tools exist, they’re often single-purpose applications that don’t integrate. This forces teams to duplicate data across systems—or worse, operate from conflicting versions of the truth.
• Cultural habits and institutional memory: In many labs, critical knowledge lives in the heads of experienced staff. But when that knowledge isn’t documented or easily accessible, turnover or absences can quickly create blind spots.
• Reactive mindset: Too often, problems are only addressed after something goes wrong: a safety breach, a failed inspection, a missed validation. By then, it’s too late to be proactive.

These gaps make audits a headache for labs, but they also create risk every day. Without connected, verifiable systems, labs operate on assumptions: assuming someone completed the training, assuming the sample was logged, assuming the procedure was followed. When regulators, partners, or leadership ask for proof, “we think so” isn’t good enough.

Can you spot the risk?

Picture this scenario: An auditor asks for proof that a technician was trained on a new high-risk protocol implemented two months ago. You remember the training session clearly, but the spreadsheet hasn’t been updated, and there’s no signature on file. Meanwhile, the names of staff members who completed the training were copied by hand onto a sticky note that never made it into the system. What started as routine now looks like a regulatory breach.

Quick reality check:

• Can you retrieve up-to-date training records for every lab member in under 5 minutes?
• Can you show chain of custody for a critical reagent or sample used in your last regulatory submission?
• Are your SOPs version-controlled, accessible to all, and embedded in your daily workflows?

The good news is that these risks aren’t inevitable. Labs that consistently pass audits don’t rely on heroic effort. They rely on systems designed for visibility, traceability, and compliance by default. Instead of trying to patch gaps with more spreadsheets or checklists, they invest in infrastructure that embeds audit readiness into the fabric of daily operations.

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From reactive to proactive audit readiness

In an audit-ready lab, compliance isn’t something you prepare for—it’s something you maintain. It’s built into your daily operations, not stacked on top of them. And most importantly, it’s visible. Being audit ready means your lab can answer critical questions—consistently, quickly and with evidence:

• Who handled this sample, and when?
• Was the protocol followed exactly as approved?
• Has the team been trained and signed off on the latest SOP?
• Where was this chemical stored—and when did it expire?
• What corrective actions followed the last safety incident?

In labs without the right digital infrastructure, these answers live in a dozen different places: spreadsheets, paper binders, filing cabinets, or worse—someone’s memory. That’s why being audit ready isn’t just about documentation. It’s about system design.

Truly audit-ready labs share four characteristics:

1. Connected — Data is centralized and systems talk to each other, so inventory, training, safety, and research aren’t siloed.
2. Traceable — Every material, action, and decision can be tracked back to a person, time, and record.
3. Controlled — SOPs, workflows, and permissions are enforced by the system—not assumed or bypassed manually.
4. Visible — Issues are flagged early, trends are tracked in real time, and auditors don’t have to dig to find what they need.

How SciSure’s SMP makes this possible

The SciSure SMP was designed to create audit ready labs by default. It brings together essential components of lab management—ELN, LIMS, inventory, equipment, training, safety, inspections, and more—into a single, integrated environment. Instead of logging into ten different digital systems or relying on manual workarounds, users interact with a unified platform that mirrors real lab workflows.

Training that’s verifiable, not assumed

The SMP closes training visibility gaps by tying training directly to user roles and responsibilities. Each lab member’s access is governed by a clear training schedule that maps required certifications to their permitted tasks. If training is incomplete or out of date, the system actively prevents users from launching high-risk protocols or handling sensitive materials.

Records are stored centrally and updated in real time, eliminating the need to dig through HR files or manually cross-check spreadsheets. Alerts and dashboards keep both scientists and managers informed about upcoming renewals, expired training, and team-wide compliance at a glance.

In short, it’s not left to memory or manual policing. The platform acts as a built-in gatekeeper—ensuring that only the right people, with the right training, can carry out the right work.

Safety data built into the scientific workflow

In most labs, safety data lives in a silo—tied to paper-based forms, separate EHS platforms, or ad hoc reporting processes that aren't integrated with actual lab work. The SciSure SMP eliminates that disconnect by embedding safety directly into the way science gets done. 

Risk assessments and safety controls are baked into protocols themselves, not bolted on afterward. Researchers are guided through required steps, hazard checks, and PPE reminders as they move through workflows—so safety becomes automatic, not optional.

When incidents occur, they’re not handled in isolation. The system links them to specific workflows, users, and reagents—giving you rich contextual data for root-cause analysis. And because chemical inventory is tracked in real time, down to the individual bottle, it's easy to trace which materials were involved, whether storage limits were exceeded, or whether incompatible substances were used together.

This creates a virtuous cycle: safety data informs future decisions, trends become visible, and accountability is built in from the start. Rather than relying on reactive reporting, the lab builds a culture of continuous improvement—where risk is spotted and addressed before it becomes a crisis.

Inventory, samples, and chain of custody

The SMP centralizes the entire lifecycle of reagents, chemicals, and samples, from ordering and receipt through to use, storage, and disposal. Every movement is logged with timestamps, user attribution, and contextual metadata—ensuring full chain of custody with minimal manual effort.

Since inventory is tied directly to workflows, the system can restrict the use of expired or unauthorized materials, enforce proper storage practices, and ensure that only validated inputs are used in regulated procedures. If something goes wrong—or if an auditor wants to trace a critical sample’s journey—every step is documented and easy to retrieve.

The result is stronger control, fewer compliance blind spots, and a more robust scientific record.

Dashboards that make risk visible

Being audit ready means knowing where your lab stands at all times. With SciSure, visibility is built into the platform at every level.

Dashboards give lab managers and EHS teams live insights into training status, overdue SOPs, open incidents, and more. Role-specific permissions ensure each user sees what’s relevant to their responsibilities—whether that’s a compliance officer reviewing past inspections or a scientist checking reagent availability.

Every action is recorded with a complete audit trail, showing who did what, when, and under which version of the protocol. Nothing is hidden, nothing is lost, and nothing needs to be reconstructed after the fact. When auditors arrive, you’re not scrambling to collect paperwork. You’re already operating with the transparency they expect.

By aligning lab operations to a single, connected platform, SciSure helps labs move from reactive scrambling to proactive control. Instead of relying on memory, workarounds, or disconnected systems, labs operate within a digital environment that enforces standards, flags risks, and supports traceability by design.

This doesn’t just reduce the stress of inspections—it protects your people, your science, and your reputation.

Turning risk mitigation into ROI

For many lab managers and EHS leaders, the biggest hurdle to improving audit readiness isn’t awareness—it’s action. Even when the risks are clear, convincing leadership to invest in a new platform can be challenging. Budgets are tight, legacy systems are entrenched, and the cost of inaction is often underestimated.

But audit readiness is increasingly becoming a business imperative. The risks of non-compliance, safety lapses, or lost data can carry staggering costs in the form of legal fees, regulatory fines, operational downtime, or reputational damage. And those costs often far exceed the investment required to fix the underlying issues.

That’s why the strongest way to get buy-in for platforms like SciSure’s SMP, is to frame risk mitigation as cost control. By shifting from reactive oversight to real-time visibility, labs can reduce:

• The resource burden of preparing for audits
• Redundancy in training, documentation, and inventory systems
• Costs associated with safety incidents or lost materials
• Time lost to manual tracking, double-entry, or inefficient communication

The ROI is not just in what you gain—it’s in what you no longer lose.

Onboarding also doesn’t need to be a disruption. SciSure offers a structured, collaborative implementation process that adapts to each lab’s size, maturity, and workflows. Labs typically begin with a core feature set—training, inventory, safety—and expand as comfort and usage grow. Staff are guided through change management, not left to navigate it alone. The result is a smoother transition, faster adoption, and immediate operational benefits.

Winning leadership buy-in often comes down to showing that audit readiness isn’t just about satisfying regulators—it’s about building organizational resilience.

If you can’t prove it, you can’t trust it

Audit readiness is no longer a box to tick—it’s a reflection of how your lab thinks, works, and protects what matters most. 

In an environment where compliance is continuous, expectations are rising, and reputations are on the line, hoping for the best is no longer a strategy. Whether it’s safety, training, inventory, or scientific integrity, your systems will either create risk or contain it.

SciSure’s Scientific Management Platform gives you the visibility, control, and confidence to stay ahead of audits—and the disruptions they can bring. It's not about doing more work. It’s about doing smarter, safer, more accountable science.

Ready to move from firefighting to full control? Let’s talk.

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References

1. Nasrallah, I. M., A. K. El Kak, L. A. Ismaiil, R. R. Nasr, and W. T. Bawab. “Prevalence of Accident Occurrence Among Scientific Laboratory Workers of the Public University in Lebanon and the Impact of Safety Measures.” Safety and Health at Work, vol. 13, 2022, p. 155.
2. “Translating Industrial Lab Safety Practices to Academia.” AIChE, May 2022, www.aiche.org/resources/publications/cep/2022/may/translating-industrial-lab-safety-practices-academia.
3. Benderly, Beryl Lieff. “A Decade after a Fatal Lab Safety Disaster, What Have We Learned?” Science, 2018, doi:10.1126/science.caredit.aaw2757.
4. Baker, Monya, and David Penny. “Is There a Reproducibility Crisis?” Nature, vol. 533, 2016, pp. 452–54.

Berlin, Germany, September 4th, 2025.

Today, SciSure announced the acquisition of Labfolder and Labregister, two flagship products from Labforward, reinforcing its commitment to create the home base for connected and reproducible science.

Why this matters for science

This acquisition deepens SciSure’s ability to serve modern laboratories with flexible, scientist-friendly solutions that integrate directly into research workflows.

• Labfolder (ELN) and Labregister (inventory) will now operate under the SciSure brand.
• Together, they expand SciSure’s Scientific Management Platform (SMP), the only system designed to unify research documentation, inventory management, and compliance tracking without adding administrative burden.
• SciSure, Labfolder, and Labregister stand out as the only globally available platforms with full German language support, further strengthening SciSure’s commitment to the German research community.

Leadership perspectives

“Labfolder and Labregister are trusted by scientists around the world to capture experiments and manage lab resources,” said Philip Meer, CEO of SciSure. “Bringing these products and the talented team together with SciSure will accelerate innovation and expand choice for our valued customers, particularly those in Germany who have come to rely on a local presence for guidance and support. This acquisition brings us one step closer to fulfilling our mission: to facilitate unburdened, uncompromised, safe, and sustainable scientific advancement.”

The bigger picture

This acquisition allows SciSure to bring together the people, expertise, and partner network behind Labfolder and Labregister with our own team. By combining resources in this way, SciSure can accelerate innovation and strengthen its ability to serve scientists, lab managers, and compliance officers worldwide. The move reinforces SciSure’s commitment to building a Scientific Management Platform that not only advances research integrity and compliance but also draws on the best talent and partnerships in the industry.

About SciSure

Trusted by over 1,000 customers worldwide, SciSure is an award-winning Scientific Management Platform (SMP) that unifies ELN, LIMS, EHS, and integrations into a single solution. Formed through the merger of SciShield and eLabNext, SciSure brings together decades of expertise in lab digitization and compliance. Recognized for product innovation and customer satisfaction, SciSure supports scientists, lab operations, and compliance teams in delivering operational excellence and research integrity.

Looking ahead

As SciSure continues to build the Scientific Management Platform labs deserve, this acquisition marks another milestone in its vision: a unified, future-ready system that integrates ELN, LIMS, inventory, safety, compliance, and risk management into simplified workflows, enabling science to move forward, faster.

For more information, please contact:‍

Jon Zibell, Vice President of Global Alliances & Marketing

‍j.zibell@scisure.com

Let’s be honest: managing scientific research today is no easy feat. Experiments are bigger and more complex, data volumes are exploding, while the regulatory bar keeps rising. At the same time, labs are under constant pressure to do more with less. Yet many still rely on a patchwork of point solutions, spreadsheets, and aging systems that were never designed for this scale or speed.

That’s not just inconvenient—it’s risky. When your data is scattered and your workflows rely on manual steps and workarounds, mistakes slip through. Scientists end up spending more time chasing information than actually doing science. Compliance turns into a scramble when audits come around. And too often, critical insights get missed simply because no one can see the full picture.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. The right digital research management platform pulls your operations out of the weeds, giving you clean, connected data, streamlined workflows, and real-time visibility across your entire lab. Suddenly, the very challenges that used to slow you down become opportunities to work smarter, move faster, and strengthen the trust behind your science.

Here are five of the biggest research management headaches we regularly encounter—and how a unified platform like SciSure’s Scientific Management Platform (SMP) can help you solve them for good.

1. Fragmented lab data and workflows leave scientists in the dark

Ask any scientist or lab manager, and you’ll hear the same frustration: critical data is scattered everywhere. Instruments dump files onto local PCs. Teams juggle spreadsheets, email chains, and siloed point solutions that don’t talk to each other. It might keep operations afloat for now, but it means no one has a clear, end-to-end view of what’s really happening.

When your data is fragmented, so is your insight. Scientists end up spending valuable hours chasing context—digging through folders to find which protocol was actually run, merging results from multiple systems, or trying to work out why a batch didn’t meet spec. Instead of moving the science forward, they’re stitching together a paper trail.

The risks go beyond inefficiency. Without a unified picture, it’s easy to miss subtle trends or early warning signs that could save time, money, or even an entire program down the line. Leaders can’t make confident decisions if they’re relying on stale reports or partial data.

The SciSure SMP puts an end to this by unifying your LIMS, ELN, inventory, and EHS into a single, connected platform. With everything in one place—data, workflows, documentation—your research management becomes clear and proactive. Scientists finally have the full story behind every result right at their fingertips, leading to faster problem-solving, fewer surprises, and a level of transparency that safeguards both your research integrity and your bottom line.

2. Compliance & audit tasks pull scientists away from advancing research

Regulatory pressure on research labs isn’t easing up—if anything, it’s only getting tougher. Whether it’s FDA, EMA, GxP, ISO, or internal QA programs, labs today have to prove not just what they did, but exactly how and when they did it. That means rock-solid records, clear version control, and airtight audit trails.

Too often, though, scientists are left to stitch these things together by hand. They double-check spreadsheets, chase down missing signatures, or dig through folders to prove which SOP was followed. It’s stressful, time-consuming work that pulls them away from the experiments and problem-solving they were trained to do.

And when an audit arrives? Teams scramble to assemble documentation after the fact, increasing the chance of costly findings or damaged credibility.

The SciSure SMP flips this dynamic completely. By automatically tracking versions, user access, and full workflow histories, it builds a secure, searchable audit trail as you work. That takes the manual burden off your scientists, reduces human error, and turns audits from panic-inducing events into straightforward checks. It’s a smarter way to protect both your compliance standing and your team’s focus.

3. Manual processes force scientists to babysit admin instead of running experiments

Most scientists didn’t go into research to fill out forms, reformat data files, or chase down approvals. Yet that’s exactly where hours of their week often go. Manual handoffs between systems, duplicate data entry, and endless email threads eat into the time they should be spending designing studies, troubleshooting experiments, or interpreting results.

It’s not just frustrating—it’s expensive. Every hour a highly skilled researcher spends on the administrative grind is an hour lost to advancing your science and getting to clinic faster. And manual processes are error-prone by nature. A mistyped sample ID or outdated spreadsheet can ripple into weeks of rework, missed milestones, or even compromised study outcomes.

The SciSure SMP changes this by automating routine admin and standardizing lab data capture across your lab operations. Approvals, record updates, inventory checks—all flow seamlessly in the background. Scientists get clean, pre-validated data at every step, without having to micromanage the process or play detective later on.

That means your team can stay focused on what actually moves the needle: designing smarter experiments, solving complex problems, and driving your research forward. It’s research management that finally puts scientists back where they belong—at the bench, not buried in admin.

4. Unclear experimental histories undermine reproducibility & confidence

We’ve all heard about the reproducibility crisis that’s plaguing modern science. Too many studies can’t be reliably repeated—even by the original teams. It’s eroding trust, wasting resources, and slowing the pace of discovery across industries.

But reproducibility problems rarely start with bad intentions. More often, they trace back to unclear experimental histories. Was that protocol adjusted on the fly? Did someone swap reagent lots without updating the record? Is the “final data” actually tied to the latest method version?

When critical context is missing or buried in notebooks, local files, or someone’s memory, you’re left with more questions than answers. Scientists may have to rerun studies simply to confirm previous findings—burning through time, budget, and samples. Worse, decisions get made on shaky ground, undermining the confidence of stakeholders and regulators alike. The financial impact of missing or incomplete data is devastating.

The SciSure SMP solves this by capturing the full experimental picture automatically. Every method adjustment, every data point, every approval is logged in a centralized system tied directly to your samples and studies. Scientists can trace exactly what was done, when, by whom, and under what conditions, without digging through scattered records or relying on memory.

That level of traceability doesn’t just protect your current projects. It elevates your entire approach to research management, strengthening reproducibility, streamlining tech transfers, and giving leadership and partners the confidence they need to keep investing.

5. Siloed teams struggle to collaborate and share critical data

Modern research is rarely a solo effort. Whether you’re working across internal departments, multiple sites, or external partners like CROs and academic labs, success depends on effective collaboration. But too often, the tools meant to support teamwork actually get in the way.

When your lab relies on outdated or disconnected systems, collaboration becomes an uphill battle. Different sites or departments might use entirely separate tools—or local tweaks of the same system—making it nearly impossible to align on shared protocols or get a consistent view of project status. 

Legacy setups also weren’t built for today’s realities: remote work, secure external partnerships, or fast-growing networks. Teams end up cobbling together risky workarounds, like emailing sensitive data or juggling multiple logins just to keep everyone in the loop. The result? Slower progress, strained relationships, and unnecessary exposure of your IP.

The SciSure SMP cuts through these silos by providing a secure, unified platform where everyone—from lab scientists to project managers to external partners—can work from the same up-to-date data and protocols. Role-based permissions keep information protected, while automated workflows ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

That means fewer surprises, faster handoffs, and a level of coordination that keeps even the most complex, multi-partner programs running smoothly. Instead of wasting energy untangling miscommunications, your teams can focus on advancing the science together.

Turn your research management challenges into a competitive edge

Research management doesn’t have to be a patchwork of workarounds, missed insights, and compliance headaches. With the right digital foundation, you can transform these everyday challenges into strategic advantages—accelerating timelines, improving reproducibility, and strengthening the trust behind your science.

The SciSure SMP brings your lab data, workflows, and teams together in one connected home base, so you can tackle complexity with confidence and keep your scientists focused on what they do best.

Ready to see how smarter research management can move your lab forward? Let’s talk.

Lab management is the backbone of every successful research environment. From keeping experiments on track to managing resources and guiding personnel, lab managers do far more than “keep the lab organized.” They are the force that drives innovation, ensures compliance, and creates the foundation for reliable, high-quality science.

But what exactly does lab management involve? And how can it transform a lab from good to great?

In this guide, we’ll explore:

1. What lab management really means
2. The role of the lab manager
3. How digital solutions transform lab management
4. Essential tools every lab should use
5. 5 practical tips for mastering lab management

‍What is lab management?

Lab management is the art (and science) of keeping a laboratory running smoothly. It goes far beyond ordering supplies and scheduling staff. True lab management covers:

• Daily operations: Coordinating experiments, timelines, and resources.
• Resource oversight: Managing everything from reagents to high-value equipment.
• Compliance: Ensuring safety and regulatory standards are always met.
• People management: Recruiting, training, and motivating a diverse team.
• Culture & communication: Building a collaborative environment where research thrives.

In short: lab management is where science meets strategy.

What does a Lab Manager do?

Think of the lab manager as both a scientist’s partner and an operations leader. Their responsibilities include:

• Overseeing daily operations: Keeping experiments on track, managing schedules, and serving as the central point of communication.
• Managing resources & inventory: Ensuring supplies are stocked, equipment is maintained, and nothing gets in the way of research progress.
• Ensuring compliance & safety: Implementing safety protocols, maintaining documentation for audits, and upholding regulatory standards.
• Budgeting & finance: Balancing spending, negotiating with vendors, and optimizing resource allocation.
• Supervising & training staff: Recruiting, onboarding, and developing team members to foster productivity and morale.
• Adopting new technologies: Driving digital transformation by implementing ELNs, LIMS, and other tools that streamline workflows.

In many ways, the lab manager is both conductor and problem-solver—the person who makes sure science can happen without unnecessary roadblocks.

The benefits of digital lab solutions for lab management 

In today's fast-paced research settings, digital tools have become indispensable for streamlining lab management processes. Scientific Management Platforms (SMPs) offer transformative benefits in overcoming the main challenges and pitfalls of traditional lab management. By integrating tools such as ELNs, LIMS, and Inventory Management Systems, labs can significantly enhance accuracy and efficiency.

Platforms like SciSure's SMP combine the features of ELN, LIMS, and much more to deliver comprehensive features that streamline every aspect of lab management, from protocol management to sample tracking and team collaboration.

Centralized lab data management

Managing large volumes of lab data is a complex task, especially when dealing with research findings, experiment results, and sample records. SciSure offers a centralized solution for lab data management, providing lab managers with a streamlined and organized approach:

• Centralized data repository: Store all experimental data, protocols, and sample information in a single, accessible platform. This eliminates fragmented data silos, ensuring that all team members can quickly access the latest information when needed.
• Search and retrieval: Advanced search functionality makes it easy to locate specific datasets, experiments, or samples within the platform, saving valuable time and reducing the risk of lost data.
• Real-time data syncing: Data entered or updated within the platform is instantly synced across the system, allowing lab managers and staff to work with real-time, accurate information.
• Data Structuring: Easily organize and categorize datasets according to project, experiment, or researcher, creating a structured and navigable system for all lab data.

Centralizing lab data helps labs maintain organized, easily accessible records, improving workflow efficiency and preventing data loss or mismanagement.

Protocol and SOP management

Effective lab protocol and SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) management is crucial for ensuring consistency, compliance, and accuracy in a lab setting. SciSure allows for seamless creation, updating, and sharing of life science and biotechnology protocols across teams, offering:

• Version control: Automatically track and manage multiple versions of protocols, ensuring that all staff are using the most up-to-date procedures.
• Customizable templates: Create protocols tailored to specific experiments or workflows with customizable templates that simplify the setup process.
• AI-Generated Protocols: Utilize AI-powered add-ons to generate initial protocol drafts based on brief descriptions, speeding up protocol creation and ensuring accuracy.
• Remote access: Provide all team members with instant, remote access to protocols, reducing delays and preventing miscommunication over which SOPs to follow.

These features help labs maintain compliance with regulatory standards and foster consistent practices across all research activities.

Sample and specimen management

Managing lab samples and lab specimens is often a time-consuming task, but SciSure's platform offers powerful tools to simplify and automate this process:

• Barcode sample tracking: With automated barcode and RFID integration, the platform tracks every sample from collection to disposal, reducing the risk of misplaced specimens and ensuring accuracy in experiments.
• Centralized sample data: Store detailed information about each sample, including storage location, collection date, and experiment results, in a centralized digital system for easy access and retrieval.
• Expiry and condition monitoring: The platform includes automated alerts for samples nearing expiration or those stored under specific conditions, helping labs prevent the use of expired or compromised specimens.

By digitizing specimen management, SciSure ensures that labs can maintain accurate records, avoid costly errors, and optimize the use of valuable research materials.

Communication and collaboration

In a lab setting, effective communication and collaboration are critical for ensuring project success. SciSure enhances team coordination with its robust communication features:

• Centralized data sharing: SciSure allows for seamless sharing of experimental data, protocols, and results in a centralized platform, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
• Real-time collaboration: Teams can work together in real-time, accessing the same datasets and making updates collaboratively, no matter where they are located.
• Task and project management: The platform includes built-in tools for assigning tasks, tracking project progress, managing timelines, and ensuring lab activities remain organized and on track.
• Discussion threads and comments: Enable researchers to provide feedback or ask questions directly within the platform, reducing the need for endless email chains and improving clarity.

These communication tools foster a collaborative and transparent lab environment where team members can work together efficiently and share insights with ease.

Lab security

In any laboratory setting, the security of sensitive data and specimens is paramount. SciSure provides robust lab security features to protect valuable lab assets, ensuring compliance with industry standards and safeguarding research integrity:

• Data encryption: All data stored within the platform is encrypted, ensuring that sensitive information is protected from unauthorized access or breaches.
• Role-based access control: Assign specific access levels to different users based on their roles within the lab, ensuring that only authorized personnel can view or edit certain data or protocols.
• Audit trails: Every action performed within the platform is tracked, providing a comprehensive audit trail that lab managers can review to ensure accountability and transparency. This is essential for both security and compliance with regulatory standards.
• Regular backups: SciSure provides automated backups of all lab data, ensuring that crucial information is never lost, even in the event of system failures or accidents.
• Compliance with data protection regulations: The platform is built with data protection regulations in mind, including GDPR and HIPAA, ensuring that labs meet the necessary standards for data security and privacy.

With SciSure's security features, lab managers can confidently manage their labs, knowing that sensitive data and specimens are protected against breaches and data loss.

By simplifying everyday operations and boosting security, SciSure's SMP enhances lab productivity, minimizes administrative burdens, and helps lab managers run their labs more efficiently while maintaining high standards of safety and compliance.

5 Tips to Master Lab Management

Here are five practical ways to elevate your lab management:

1. Leverage technology: Adopt digital lab platforms like SciSure to automate repetitive tasks and centralize operations.
2. Standardize with SOPs: Use clear, accessible SOPs to reduce errors and onboard new staff faster.
3. Foster collaboration: Encourage open communication, knowledge sharing, and regular check-ins to build a strong lab culture.
4. Invest in training: Continuous skill development keeps your team sharp, motivated, and future-ready.
5. Continuously improve: Use performance metrics and team feedback to identify gaps and refine workflows.

The best lab managers treat management as an evolving process—not a static checklist.

‍Essential Lab Management Tools and Technologies

Effective lab management often relies on a suite of tools designed to streamline processes, ensure compliance, and improve team collaboration. Here’s an overview of some essential tools for any modern lab manager:

Platforms like SciSure bring these tools together in a single ecosystem, making them even more powerful.

‍Lab management done right

Effective lab management isn’t just about order—it’s about enabling discovery. By combining strong leadership with the right digital tools, lab managers can create an environment where science flourishes, compliance is effortless, and innovation accelerates.

As the research landscape evolves, digital transformation is no longer optional—it’s essential.

Ready to see how SciSure can streamline your lab operations? Book a free demo today and start building a smarter, more efficient lab.

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Originally published on July 5,2024. Edited on August 29, 2025.

Managing a modern lab isn’t just about running experiments—it’s about orchestrating countless moving parts: data, samples, inventory, compliance, and communication. For many labs, the reality is messy. Paper records pile up, spreadsheets become unreliable, and critical information gets lost in silos.

The result? More time spent fixing mistakes than making discoveries.

That’s where digital lab platforms come in. Solutions like SciSure (formerly eLabNext) are helping labs of all sizes cut through the noise and run smarter, safer, and more efficient operations.

In this blog, you will learn: 

1. What’s really involved in day-to-day lab operations
2. The common pitfalls of relying on manual systems
3. How digital tools can transform your workflows

Whether your lab is just starting its digital journey or looking to upgrade, you’ll walk away with actionable insights to optimize operations and focus on what matters most: advancing science.

What’s involved in lab operations?

Lab operations encompass a variety of tasks, such as sample tracking, data management, inventory control, compliance monitoring, and result analysis. These tasks must be carried out with precision to ensure accurate results and maintain quality standards. 

Every laboratory operation—from quality control to sample management and data analysis to reporting—relies fundamentally on precision and efficiency. Traditional manual methods of managing these processes can be time-consuming, error-prone, and challenging to scale. From manual record keeping to paper-based inventory logs, to hand-written labeling, traditional lab management systems can be a barrier to streamlined lab processes and operations

In light of this, digital tools are swiftly becoming essential for efficient lab management. Let’s take a look at some of the procedures and roles that contribute to everyday lab operations.

Essential laboratory operations

1. ‍Sample management is one of the core functions of a laboratory and involves tracking samples from receipt to final analysis. Without proper sample management, there is a risk of cross-contamination, mislabeling, or loss of samples, which can result in inaccurate results and compromise data integrity. 
2. ‍Lab protocols make sure that scientific procedures are carried out consistently and in compliance with regulatory and industry standards. Proper protocol management involves the creation, approval and regular updating of SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) that guide lab personnel in carrying out experiments accurately. Effective protocol management not only minimizes errors but also ensures reproducibility across experiments.
3. ‍Data management is another pivotal operation within laboratories. It involves the systematic collection, storage, and analysis of data generated from experiments and testing. Effective data management ensures that data is accurate, retrievable, and secure. This is critical not only for the integrity of research findings and test results but also for maintaining compliance with regulatory standards.
4. ‍‍Inventory control plays a vital role in lab operations, as it ensures that all necessary reagents and equipment are available when needed—without interruption. Proper inventory management helps to avoid unnecessary downtime that can delay experiments, as well as to prevent the wastage of resources and ensure cost efficiency.
5. ‍Lab data security is essential for protecting digital assets within the lab environment. This includes the safeguarding of sensitive data, such as research findings, intellectual property, and personally identifiable information (PII), as well as the physical protection of lab samples, equipment, and reagents. Implementing strong data encryption, role-based access controls, and automated backups are key measures to ensure lab data security. 

Together, these operations form the backbone of effective and reliable lab management, ensuring that laboratories can fulfill their critical role in scientific discovery and industry quality assurance with efficiency and integrity.‍

Laboratory roles

Roles within a laboratory are as diverse as lab operations themselves. Technicians, scientists, data analysts, and managers work in concert to propel the lab's mission forward. A close-knit collaboration, paired with seamless communication, formulates the essence of dynamic laboratory operations—each role proving pivotal to the collective endeavor. 

• Laboratory managers oversee the laboratory’s operations, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, managing budgets, and coordinating the efforts of the lab team. They play a key role in strategizing and ensuring that the laboratory's objectives are met efficiently and effectively.
• Technicians are the hands-on workforce, conducting experiments, maintaining equipment, and ensuring the smooth execution of daily tasks. Their meticulous attention to detail is crucial in the accurate execution of lab procedures.
• Laboratory scientists drive the laboratory's research and development efforts, formulating hypotheses, designing experiments, and analyzing data to advance scientific knowledge. They are pivotal in steering the lab’s focus toward innovative territories.
• Data analysts specialize in interpreting complex datasets extracting meaningful insights from experiments. Their expertise in statistical analysis and data visualization supports decision-making processes and underscores the integrity of research outcomes.
  

Each of these diverse lab roles contributes to the effectiveness of lab operations. Their specialized skills and collaborative efforts are key to managing the complexities of laboratory work, ensuring that every aspect of the laboratory's function is carried out with precision and care.

The hidden costs of running a lab without digital tools

Running a lab without digital support is like trying to navigate a city with a paper map in rush-hour traffic—you might get there eventually, but not without detours, delays, and unnecessary stress.

Here are some of the most common roadblocks labs face when relying on manual processes or outdated systems:

• Data headaches: Paper logs and scattered spreadsheets make data almost impossible to track or share reliably. Errors creep in, version control gets lost, and data silos form—leading to compliance risks and wasted time re-entering or reconciling information.
• Inventory surprises: Without automated inventory, it’s easy to run out of critical reagents or discover expired stock right when you need it most. These setbacks delay projects and eat into budgets.
• Compliance gaps: Regulations demand accurate, traceable records. Manual systems lack audit trails and real-time updates, which makes inspections stressful and increases the risk of non-compliance.
• Inefficient resource use: From personnel scheduling to equipment usage, manual tracking often results in double-bookings, downtime, or wasted materials—costing labs both time and money.
• Sample risks: Mislabeling, contamination, or misplaced samples aren’t just frustrating—they can compromise entire studies. Manual tracking systems make these mistakes much more likely.
• Communication breakdowns: When protocols, data, and results are scattered across paper binders, emails, and spreadsheets, collaboration slows down. Miscommunication leads to rework and delays.

Reliance on non-digital methods or legacy systems gives rise to a range of operational challenges, impacting efficiency, compliance, and the overall reliability of your lab outputs.

How digital tools transform lab operations

The good news? Every one of those challenges has a solution. By adopting a digital lab platform like SciSure, labs can replace inefficiency and risk with automation, traceability, and collaboration. Here’s how:‍

• Data you can actually trust: Instead of juggling binders and spreadsheets, SciSure centralizes all your lab data in one secure platform. Everyone has access to the latest version, audit trails are automatic, and data is always searchable and shareable.
• Automation that frees your team: Repetitive tasks—like logging samples, scheduling experiments, or updating protocols—no longer have to eat up valuable time. Automated workflows keep processes consistent, reduce human error, and allow your team to focus on research instead of admin.
• Inventory that manages itself: No more running out of critical reagents or finding expired stock by surprise. Automated inventory alerts ensure you always know what’s available, when to reorder, and how resources are being used—saving both time and money.
• Sample traceability from start to finish: Barcoding and RFID technology track samples throughout their entire lifecycle. That means no mislabeling, no misplaced tubes, and no wasted experiments.
• Compliance built in, not bolted on: Regulations don’t have to be a headache. SciSure automatically generates audit trails, manages SOP versions, and enforces role-based access control—making inspections smoother and compliance effortless.
• Collaboration without the friction: With one shared digital workspace, your team can work together in real-time—whether they’re in the same room or across the globe. Protocols, results, and updates are always accessible, keeping everyone aligned and projects moving forward.

Digital tools don’t just replace manual processes—they reimagine them. With SciSure, your lab becomes faster, safer, and more resilient, setting the stage for better science and bigger discoveries.

The formula for operational excellence 

Operational excellence in the lab isn’t about doing more with less—it’s about doing better with smarter tools. Manual systems may have worked in the past, but today’s scientific pace demands accuracy, scalability, and collaboration that paper logs and spreadsheets simply can’t provide.

By embracing digital solutions like SciSure, labs can:

• Protect data integrity and simplify compliance
• Eliminate repetitive manual tasks through automation
• Ensure every sample, protocol, and reagent is traceable
• Empower teams to collaborate seamlessly, anywhere

The bottom line: digital platforms don’t just support lab operations—they future-proof them.

Ready to see what streamlined, automated lab management looks like in action? Book a free demo with SciSure today and take the first step towards transforming your lab operations.

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Originally published on April 9, 2024. Edited on August 28, 2025.

Long before the gut microbiome was even a thing, humans knew that it is very important to be conscious of what we put in our bodies. 2,000 years ago, Greek philosopher Hippocrates proclaimed that, “All disease begins in the gut.”

Many traditional cuisines and medical practices reflect that depending on geography, climate, and genetics of the people in the region, but it wasn’t until recently that their impacts on gut and general health was appreciated. Now, mainstream conversations by people like Dr. Rhonda Patrick and the countless new research initiatives in the field of the gut microbiome are examining the variables at play in dictating overall health.

But can it really control chronic health conditions like Type 2 Diabetes. Or more?

The Gut Microbiome: Unlocking the Secrets of Our Inner Ecosystem

In the last decade, our understanding of the gut microbiome—an intricate community of trillions of microorganisms residing in the human digestive system—has grown exponentially. Previously thought of as a passive player in digestion, researchers now recognize the microbiome as a pivotal factor influencing many aspects of human health, including metabolism, immune function, and even neurological health. As scientific advancements continue to shed light on the microbiome’s influence, the potential for personalized medicine and health interventions based on microbiome data becomes increasingly clear.

What is the Gut Microbiome?

The human gut microbiome consists of a variety of bacteria, fungi, archaea, and viruses that live symbiotically within the intestines. These microorganisms perform a wide array of functions crucial to human health, from breaking down complex carbohydrates and synthesizing essential vitamins to modulating immune responses and protecting against harmful pathogens.

The balance within this ecosystem, known as microbiota balance or homeostasis, is essential. Disruptions to this equilibrium, referred to as dysbiosis, have been linked to a wide array of diseases. For instance, dysbiosis is increasingly recognized as a key factor in metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes and obesity, as well as in neurological conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

The human gut microbiome is a complex ecosystem, and imbalances or dysfunctions in specific bacteria or enzymes can contribute to a wide range of health issues. Below are the top 10 bacteria and/or enzymes in the gut that are commonly associated with health problems:

1. Firmicutes (phylum of bacteria)

• Role: Firmicutes are a major group of bacteria in the human gut microbiome, involved in the fermentation of dietary fibers and the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are beneficial for gut health.

• Issues: An overgrowth of Firmicutes has been linked to obesity and metabolic disorders, as they may be more efficient at extracting energy from food, leading to increased fat storage.

2. Bacteroides (phylum of bacteria)

• Role: Bacteroides help break down complex molecules like proteins and polysaccharides, contributing to digestion and the regulation of inflammation.

• Issues: An imbalance between Bacteroides and other gut microbes can contribute to conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). A reduction in Bacteroides has also been associated with obesity.

3. Lactobacillus (phylum of bacteria)

• Role: Lactobacillus species are known for their role in fermenting lactose into lactic acid, maintaining an acidic environment in the gut, and inhibiting pathogenic bacteria.

• Issues: A deficiency in Lactobacillus can lead to digestive disturbances, like bloating and diarrhea, and may increase susceptibility to infections, particularly in individuals with compromised immune systems.

4. Clostridium difficile (species of bacteria)

• Role: Clostridium difficile is a gut bacterium that can be beneficial when in balance with other microbes.

• Issues: Overgrowth, often due to antibiotic use, can lead to severe gastrointestinal diseases such as antibiotic-associated diarrhea and colitis. It is responsible for causing inflammation and damage to the colon.

5. Escherichia coli (E. coli; species of bacteria)

• Role: E. coli is normally found in small amounts in the gut, where it plays a role in digesting food and producing certain vitamins.

• Issues: Certain pathogenic strains of E. coli, especially E. coli O157:H7, can cause severe infections, leading to food poisoning, diarrhea, and even kidney failure.

6. Enterococcus faecalis (species of bacteria)

• Role: Enterococcus faecalis is part of the normal microbiome and plays a role in the breakdown of food.

• Issues: When in excess, this bacterium can contribute to gut inflammation, and it has been associated with infections in the gut, urinary tract, and bloodstream, especially in people with compromised immunity.

7. Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (species of bacteria)

• Role: This bacterium is a producer of butyrate, an SCFA that supports gut health by providing energy to colon cells and reducing inflammation.

• Issues: A reduction in Faecalibacterium prausnitzii has been linked to inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

8. Ruminococcus (phylum of bacteria)

• Role: Ruminococcus species are involved in the breakdown of complex fibers into simple sugars, playing a vital role in digesting plant material.

• Issues: A lack of Ruminococcus can lead to digestive problems and impaired gut health. Imbalances in this group are often linked with conditions like IBS and obesity.

9. Methanobrevibacter smithii (species of Archaea)

• Role: This microorganism is an archaeon that contributes to methane production in the gut by fermenting carbohydrates.

• Issues: Excessive methane production has been associated with constipation and bloating. Elevated methane levels can slow intestinal transit, leading to symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, and irregular bowel movements.

10. Digestive Enzymes (e.g., Amylase, Lactase, Lipase)

• Role: These enzymes are crucial for the digestion of carbohydrates (amylase), lactose (lactase), and fats (lipase).

• Issues: Deficiencies in specific digestive enzymes can cause issues like lactose intolerance (lack of lactase), difficulty digesting starches (insufficient amylase), and fat malabsorption (low lipase). These deficiencies lead to bloating, gas, diarrhea, and other digestive disturbances.

[H4] Additional Notable Enzyme and Microbe Issues

• Protease Deficiencies: Insufficient protease enzymes can lead to incomplete protein digestion, causing bloating, discomfort, and malabsorption of nutrients.

The Microbiome and Disease Correlations

Recent studies have revealed how the gut microbiome influences both metabolic and neurological health.

One of the most significant findings comes from the relationship between the microbiome and type 2 diabetes. A number of microbial species have been found to be more prevalent in people with diabetes, while others may protect against it by improving insulin sensitivity and metabolic function. Research shows that these microbes can influence inflammation, insulin resistance, and the gut-brain axis—highlighting the microbiome's pivotal role in regulating metabolism.

Similarly, the gut microbiome has also been implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Studies have shown that children with ASD tend to have distinct microbiome profiles compared to neurotypical children. Specific imbalances in gut bacteria may contribute to the gastrointestinal issues commonly seen in individuals with ASD, as well as affect behavior and cognitive development. Though more research is needed, the connection between gut health and neurodevelopment is becoming increasingly evident.

The Rise of Microbiome Testing and Personalized Dietsl

As understanding of the gut microbiome grows, so too does the demand for personalized health approaches. The boom in microbiome testing services, which provide individuals with insights into the composition of their gut flora, is a direct response to this increased awareness. These at-home testing kits collect stool samples, which are then analyzed for microbial composition. Companies like Viome and Tiny Health offer insights not only into the diversity of an individual’s microbiome but also provide tailored dietary and lifestyle recommendations aimed at restoring balance and improving overall health. For instance, Tiny Health focuses on optimizing infant gut health, while Viome provides personalized meal plans based on microbiome analysis, promising improved digestion and immune function.

This rise in microbiome testing has opened the door to personalized nutrition, where interventions are based not on generic dietary advice, but on the individual’s unique microbiome profile. Such customization has the potential to shift the approach from generalized treatment to more specific, data-driven strategies.

Gut microbiome-based supplements are becoming increasingly popular as people seek to improve digestion, immune function, and overall health. Many of these supplements are designed to support or restore the balance of beneficial bacteria in the gut. So much so that podcasts with large audiences, include The Joe Rogan Experience and Huberman Lab are getting sponsored by those, with a strong message of preventing illness, rather than treating it.

Here’s a list of some of the top gut microbiome-based supplements that are commonly used, including AG1, and a few others:

1. AG1 (formerly Athletic Greens)

• Overview: AG1 is a popular all-in-one green powder supplement that includes probiotics, prebiotics, digestive enzymes, and other nutrients aimed at supporting gut health. It contains a mix of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and adaptogens.

• Gut Health Benefits: The probiotics and prebiotics in AG1 help promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria, improve digestion, and boost the immune system. The blend of digestive enzymes also helps break down food more efficiently, supporting overall gut function.

2. Seed Daily Synbiotic

• Overview: This supplement combines both probiotics and prebiotics, designed to promote digestive health, reduce inflammation, and improve gut microbiota balance.

• Gut Health Benefits: Seed’s Daily Synbiotic contains 24 clinically studied probiotic strains and organic prebiotics, which support gut flora diversity and overall digestion. It has also been shown to promote a healthy gut lining, reduce bloating, and improve immune function.

3. Culturelle Daily Probiotic

• Overview: Culturelle is a well-known brand that offers probiotics for general digestive health and immune support. It includes the strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, one of the most widely researched probiotic strains.

• Gut Health Benefits: This supplement is designed to balance gut bacteria, reduce symptoms of IBS, and support immune function. It also helps alleviate digestive discomfort such as bloating, diarrhea, and constipation.

4. Bio-K+ Probiotics

• Overview: Bio-K+ offers a range of probiotic supplements, including capsules, powders, and fermented drinks. Their products contain a blend of three strains of probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus).

• Gut Health Benefits: Bio-K+ is designed to help restore the balance of gut microbiota after antibiotics, reduce inflammation, and improve gut health overall. It’s particularly effective for individuals experiencing digestive issues or antibiotic-induced dysbiosis.

5. Align Probiotics

• Overview: Align is a popular probiotic supplement known for its use of the strain Bifidobacterium 35624. It is one of the most studied probiotic strains for digestive health.

• Gut Health Benefits: Align helps to balance the gut microbiome, reduce bloating, and support overall gut health. It is particularly known for helping with IBS symptoms and has been shown to improve digestive regularity.

6. VSL#3

• Overview: VSL#3 is a high-potency probiotic supplement that contains 8 different strains of bacteria, including Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Streptococcus species.

• Gut Health Benefits: VSL#3 is often used in clinical settings for the management of IBS, IBD (inflammatory bowel disease), and ulcerative colitis. Its high concentration of probiotics helps to restore balance in the gut and reduces symptoms of digestive disorders.

7. Klean Probiotics (Klean Athlete)

• Overview: Klean Athlete is a brand that offers supplements for athletes, including probiotics aimed at improving gut health and digestion.

• Gut Health Benefits: Their probiotic supplement contains several strains that support digestion, reduce bloating, and enhance nutrient absorption. It is also designed to promote a healthy immune system, which is critical for athletes’ performance and recovery.

8. Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotic

• Overview: This probiotic supplement contains 50 billion CFUs (colony-forming units) per capsule, including multiple strains such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.

• Gut Health Benefits: Ultimate Flora is designed to support digestive health, reduce bloating, and improve regularity. The high CFU count makes it a potent option for addressing more severe gut issues like constipation and irregular bowel movements.

9. Dr. Formulated Probiotics by Garden of Life

• Overview: Dr. Formulated Probiotics offers a wide variety of probiotic supplements, including those aimed at promoting gut health, digestive comfort, and immunity.

• Gut Health Benefits: These probiotics contain a mix of strains like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, as well as prebiotics to support the growth of beneficial bacteria. They help restore gut flora balance and improve digestive issues like gas, bloating, and irregularity.

10. Hyperbiotics Pro-15

• Overview: Hyperbiotics Pro-15 is a high-potency probiotic supplement that contains 15 different strains of probiotics to support gut health and improve digestive function.

• Gut Health Benefits: This supplement is designed to support a healthy gut microbiome, improve nutrient absorption, and reduce bloating and discomfort. It is often recommended for people with digestive imbalances or those looking to improve their overall gut health.

Other Notable Supplements

• Prebiotics: In addition to probiotics, prebiotic supplements like Inulin and FOS (fructooligosaccharides) are designed to nourish beneficial gut bacteria and promote gut health.

• Digestive Enzymes: Supplements containing enzymes like amylase, protease, lipase, and lactase can assist with the digestion of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, helping to alleviate bloating, gas, and digestive discomfort.

Supplements, Biotech, and the Future of Metabolic Health

The growing field of microbiome-based therapies extends beyond testing to a burgeoning market in probiotics, prebiotics, and other supplements designed to optimize gut health. These supplements aim to improve microbiome diversity, which, in turn, can impact metabolic processes. For example, specific strains of probiotics are now being investigated for their potential to alleviate insulin resistance and improve metabolic health, which may help address the growing prevalence of type 2 diabetes and obesity.

The biotech industry is poised to reap significant rewards from this shift in focus from symptom treatment to addressing metabolic imbalances at their root. Companies like Seed Health, which manufactures probiotics for metabolic and gut health, are positioning themselves as key players in a multibillion-dollar industry. With their recent exploration of a potential $1 billion sale, they highlight the profitability of microbiome-related products.

This new focus on metabolic issues has sparked debates, particularly surrounding the categorization of obesity. For years, obesity was predominantly treated as a genetic disorder, but emerging research is pushing for a reframing and recognition that metabolic dysfunction, particularly driven by gut health, plays a crucial role. The approval and growing use of GLP-1 agonists, such as Ozempic, have further solidified the importance of metabolic health as a key factor in weight management.

The global gut health supplement industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, driven by increasing consumer awareness of the importance of gut health and its impact on overall well-being.

Market Size and Growth Projections

• 2023 Estimates: The global gut health supplement market was valued at approximately USD 12.3 billion in 2023.

• 2030 Projections: By 2030, the market is projected to reach around USD 22.6 billion, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.9% from 2023 to 2030.

• 2032 Projections: Another analysis estimates the market will grow to USD 3.6 billion by 2032, with a CAGR of 22.5% during the forecast period from 2024 to 2032.

The growth of the gut health supplement market is influenced by several factors:

• Consumer Awareness: There is a growing recognition of the gut microbiome's role in overall health, leading to increased demand for supplements that support digestive health.

• Health Trends: Rising incidences of digestive disorders and gastrointestinal issues have prompted consumers to seek preventive healthcare solutions, including gut health supplements.

• Product Innovation: Advancements in supplement formulations, such as personalized probiotics and prebiotics, are attracting consumers interested in tailored health solutions.

How Gut Microbiome Research Is Conducted

The complexity of the microbiome and its diverse interactions with human health has made research in this field challenging. However, a variety of sample types, sophisticated laboratory methods, protocols , and digital tools are being used to uncover the mysteries of the gut ecosystem.

• Sample Types: Stool samples remain the most commonly used sample type for microbiome analysis, as they directly reflect the composition of gut bacteria. However, saliva, urine, and even breath tests are also being explored as potential sources of microbial information.

• Methodology: Advanced techniques, such as 16S rRNA gene sequencing and shotgun metagenomics, are essential tools for identifying and cataloging the various microorganisms in a sample. These techniques enable researchers to map the microbial communities and gain a better understanding of their genetic and functional profiles. Adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs) ensures that data is reproducible and reliable, a key aspect of microbiome research.

• Environmental Health and Safety (EHS): Rigorous EHS protocols are critical when handling any biological samples. In the laboratory, strict guidelines are followed to prevent contamination, ensure researcher safety, and maintain sample integrity.

• Digital Tools: The use of electronic lab notebooks (ELNs) or all-in-one Scientific Management Platforms (SMPs) is integral in microbiome research, as they allow for accurate and accessible documentation of experimental procedures, observations, and results. These digital tools streamline data management, enhance collaboration, and improve the overall efficiency of research.

Centralizing Research Data and AI’s Role in Microbiome Studies

As microbiome research grows in scope and complexity, centralizing research data is becoming increasingly important. Platforms like the Human Microbiome Project have paved the way for large-scale data collection and integration, facilitating collaboration and the sharing of findings across the scientific community.

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in microbiome research is a game-changer. AI-powered tools can analyze vast amounts of data quickly, uncover hidden patterns, and generate predictive models for how different microbial populations influence human health. This has the potential to revolutionize personalized medicine, enabling tailored therapies based on an individual’s microbiome profile.

AI and ML in Gut Microbiome Research

AI, machine learning (ML), and large language models (LLMs) are playing an increasingly important role in the field of gut microbiome research. These technologies help process and analyze large, complex datasets, which is essential in microbiome research due to the vast diversity of microbial communities and the complexity of interactions within the gut. Below is an overview of how these technologies are being used, and some key tools and platforms to watch out for in this space.

1. Data Analysis and Pattern Recognition

• Role: AI and ML algorithms are particularly useful in identifying patterns and correlations in large datasets generated from microbiome sequencing, metabolomics, and clinical data. The ability to quickly process and analyze thousands or millions of microbial data points allows researchers to identify specific microbes or microbial community structures associated with health conditions like obesity, diabetes, or autism.

• Techniques Used: Common ML techniques applied in microbiome research include supervised learning (e.g., classification algorithms to identify microbial markers for disease), unsupervised learning (e.g., clustering to identify patterns in microbial communities), and deep learning (e.g., convolutional neural networks for image-based microbiome data like microscopy images).

• Example: ML can be used to predict which microbial strains are most beneficial for a given patient based on their microbiome profile, clinical history, and environmental factors.

2. Predicting Health Outcomes

• Role: AI-driven predictive models are being developed to predict health outcomes based on gut microbiome profiles. By analyzing large datasets from clinical trials and patient cohorts, AI can identify biomarkers (specific bacteria, genes, or metabolites) that correlate with the onset or progression of diseases, including gastrointestinal disorders, metabolic conditions, and even neurological diseases like autism.

• Example: Machine learning algorithms can predict the risk of developing conditions like Type 2 diabetes or Crohn’s disease based on the microbial composition of the gut, helping with early diagnosis or preventive measures.

3. Personalized Medicine and Microbiome-Based Therapeutics

• Role: AI models are being used to design personalized microbiome-based therapies. This can involve creating targeted probiotics, prebiotics, or even dietary recommendations based on an individual’s microbiome profile. By analyzing the gut microbiome data and considering genetic and environmental factors, AI can help tailor interventions to the individual, offering a more effective and personalized approach to treating conditions related to gut health.

• Example: Personalized recommendations for microbiome-modulating interventions (like probiotics or dietary changes) are being designed using AI models that analyze a patient’s unique gut microbiome and lifestyle factors.

Large Language Models (LLMs) in Microbiome Research

LLMs, such as OpenAI’s GPT models and others like BERT, have found applications in microbiome research, particularly in processing scientific literature and generating insights from vast amounts of data.

1. Literature Mining and Data Extraction

• Role: LLMs are particularly adept at sifting through vast amounts of scientific literature and extracting relevant insights. In microbiome research, these models can help identify emerging trends, summarize key findings from thousands of papers, and generate hypotheses by analyzing published studies on microbiome-disease relationships.

• Example: LLMs can be used to scan academic databases for new microbiome-related studies, identify novel links between gut microbiota and diseases, and suggest potential new areas for investigation.

2. Natural Language Processing (NLP) for Data Interpretation

• Role: LLMs can process and interpret clinical notes, survey data, or patient interviews, extracting relevant microbiome-related insights. This is especially helpful when combining qualitative data from different sources (e.g., patient-reported outcomes and microbiome data).

• Example: In clinical trials, LLMs can help interpret subjective data (e.g., patient surveys on gut symptoms) and correlate it with objective microbiome data to improve understanding of how specific microbial communities affect disease symptoms.

Key AI, ML, and LLM Tools for Gut Microbiome Research

Several (though not all) computational tools and platforms leverage AI, ML, and LLMs to advance microbiome research. If you’re doing microbiology research, here are a few you’ve likely heard of.

1. QIIME 2

• Overview: QIIME 2 is a powerful, open-source bioinformatics platform that uses machine learning to analyze microbiome data. It helps researchers identify microbial species, track changes in microbiome composition over time, and correlate these changes with health outcomes.

• AI/ML Role: QIIME 2 supports various ML techniques for microbial community analysis, including clustering, dimensionality reduction, and taxonomic classification.

2. MetaPhlAn

• Overview: MetaPhlAn (Metagenomic Phylogenetic Analysis) is a tool used for profiling microbial communities based on metagenomic sequencing. It helps identify microbial taxa within a sample, providing valuable insights into the composition of the microbiome.

4. Fungal Community Analysis (FUNGuild)

• Overview: FUNGuild is a Python-based tool used to analyze fungal communities in the microbiome.

5. DeepMicro

• Overview: DeepMicro uses deep learning (specifically, autoencoders) to turn high-dimensional microbiome profiles into simpler, more useful forms. These simplified versions are then used to build accurate disease prediction models..

• AI/ML Role: By using deep learning techniques, DeepMicro can uncover complex relationships between microbiome profiles and diseases, providing predictive analytics and actionable insights.

Occupational Hazards in the Gut Microbiome Field

In the field of gut microbiome research, there are several occupational hazards that researchers and laboratory personnel may encounter due to the nature of the work involved. These hazards can be physical, biological, or related to the management of large volumes of data and complex experimental workflows.

Take a look at the primary risks and how digital tools like eLabNext, an Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) platform, and SciSure, the first Scientific Management Platform (SMP) can mitigate these risks and enhance lab safety and efficiency.

1. Biological Hazards

• Risk: Microbiome research often involves the handling of human or animal biological samples, including stool, saliva, or blood. These samples may contain pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi, which pose a potential health risk to laboratory staff if not handled correctly.

• Mitigation: Proper containment and sterilization protocols must be in place to prevent exposure to infectious agents. Lab personnel should also wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves, lab coats, and face shields.

2. Chemical Hazards

• Risk: Gut microbiome research frequently uses chemicals in experimental procedures, including reagents for DNA extraction, PCR, and sequencing. Many of these chemicals, such as ethanol, formaldehyde, and solvents, can be hazardous to health if they are not handled with care.

• Mitigation: Clear labeling of chemicals, safe storage practices, and the use of fume hoods and proper PPE can help prevent chemical exposures.

3. Ergonomic Hazards

• Risk: Laboratory work can often involve repetitive tasks such as pipetting, handling small instruments, and sitting for extended periods during data analysis. These tasks can lead to musculoskeletal disorders like carpal tunnel syndrome or back pain.

• Mitigation: Ergonomic workstations, adjustable chairs, and tools designed to reduce repetitive strain are essential for minimizing physical stress in the lab.

4. Cross-Contamination of Samples

• Risk: In microbiome research, the risk of cross-contamination between samples is a significant concern, especially when working with cultures, DNA extraction, and sequencing. Cross-contamination can result in inaccurate data and misinterpretation of results.

• Mitigation: Rigorous lab protocols, such as using separate workstations for different stages of sample preparation, and regular cleaning of equipment, can help minimize contamination risks.

5. Data Management and Accuracy

• Risk: As microbiome research generates massive amounts of data, managing, organizing, and ensuring the accuracy of this data is a key challenge. Poor data management can lead to errors, inconsistencies, and data loss, which can derail important research and lead to inaccurate conclusions.

• Mitigation: Proper digital tools are essential for managing large datasets, tracking experiments, and ensuring data integrity.

How SciSure, the First Scientific Management Platform, Can Fix These Issues

1. Enhancing Data Management and Accuracy

• eLabNext and SciShield’s platform, SciSure provides a digital platform for researchers to record and track all experimental details in real time, from sample collection and preparation to data analysis. By eliminating the reliance on paper-based records, SciSure reduces the risk of data loss, human error, and illegibility.

• Feature Benefit: Researchers can access a fully centralized, searchable, and organized digital record of their experiments, ensuring that all data is consistent, accurate, and easily retrievable for future analysis or reporting.

2. Minimizing Cross-Contamination Risks

• By integrating standardized workflows and SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures), SciSure ensures that the handling of samples is done according to the best practices, reducing the chances of contamination. Researchers can input and track protocol details, such as equipment cleaning and sterilization steps, directly into the system, which helps maintain a clean and safe work environment.

• Feature Benefit: The system allows for the integration of safety checklists and automated reminders, so lab personnel follow correct procedures at every step of the experiment.

3. Ensuring Compliance and Safety

• SciSure integrates EHS (Environmental, Health, and Safety) protocols into its digital workflows. It helps ensure that labs comply with regulatory guidelines for biological and chemical hazards. Researchers can log safety measures such as PPE use, waste disposal protocols, and equipment sterilization directly into the ELN.

• Feature Benefit: These digital tools reduce the risk of accidental exposure and ensure that researchers are always adhering to safety procedures. eLabNext also keeps a record of compliance to facilitate audits and inspections.

4. Improving Ergonomics and Work Efficiency

• By digitizing the process of experimental design, sample tracking, and data collection, SciSure reduces the time spent on manual tasks such as paperwork and data entry. This allows researchers to focus more on the scientific aspects of their work and less on administrative duties, potentially reducing stress and strain from repetitive tasks.

• Feature Benefit: eLabNext's platform is accessible from any device, allowing researchers to input data directly from the lab bench or work remotely. This flexibility can help alleviate the physical demands on lab personnel.

5. Supporting Collaboration and Communication

• SciSure provides a platform for real-time collaboration among research teams, both within the laboratory and across different locations. Researchers can share data, protocols, and notes instantly, helping to streamline communication and avoid delays caused by physical meetings or paper records.

• Feature Benefit: Improved collaboration not only accelerates research but also enables more accurate and efficient problem-solving in the event of unexpected issues, such as sample contamination or data inconsistencies.

6. Data Security and Backup

• With SciSure, all experimental data is stored securely in the cloud, offering reliable data backup and minimizing the risk of data loss. Since microbiome research generates large amounts of high-value data, ensuring its safety is critical for long-term research progress.

• Feature Benefit: Automated data backups and encryption ensure the protection of sensitive research data, reducing the likelihood of security breaches or accidental deletions.

Conclusion

The rise of microbiome research presents a new frontier in understanding and managing human health. As more is understood about the gut microbiome’s influence on diseases like type 2 diabetes, autism, and obesity, the potential for personalized therapies and interventions grows exponentially. With the support of cutting-edge research tools, centralized data systems, and AI, the future of microbiome-based health interventions promises not only to treat symptoms but to address the root causes of metabolic dysfunctions, offering hope for more effective, long-term solutions to some of the most pressing health challenges of our time.

To learn how SMPs can accelerate your research, lab operations, and safety, contact us here.

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This is not a game... People's lives are on the line.

In labs around the world, risk management is still too often treated as a checkbox—a compliance form, a safety poster, a door sign, or a training module that may or may not have been completed. But from where I sit, and especially within context of the most significant pandemic in modern history, the traditional definition of ‘risk management’ is dangerously narrow. And dangerously outdated.

Risk starts with quite simply a lack of a digital record of what experiments are being performed, which samples are used, and what protocols were followed. Imagine if a physician treating you was unable to locate your medical history, was unable to produce digital clinical notes, and could not look up what medications were prescribed?  In modern labs, the ability to reproduce research findings is critical, and the risk of losing research is a major reason why drugs on average take 10-15 years to develop with an up to 90% failure rate¹.

Far beyond reproducible research, risk in scientific environments is extremely high stakes. The consequences of a single misstep can be severe, far-reaching, and permanent. It’s not just about whether your audits are in order or if your chemicals are correctly labeled. Misunderstanding and mishandling of organizational risk management can yield costly lawsuits. Equipment failures could halt critical research; a piece of equipment left unmonitored could spoil samples and put the health and safety of scientists and the quality of experiments at risk. A single inventory error (especially with hazardous chemicals) can lead to an uncontained fire at worst or a citation from a local fire department at best. And it’s about the regulatory and reputational fallout that follows, jeopardizing not just the science, but the scientists and the population depending on it.

The reality, unfortunately, is that most scientific research organizations are underprepared to address organizational risk, holistically. But it’s not due to carelessness—it’s because they’re relying on a patchwork of poorly integrated point solutions that do not connect with one another. Systems and data become fragmented, oversight slips, and risk multiplies. And when something does go wrong, organizations lack the capabilities to respond.  

At SciSure, we believe that needs to change. And fast. Because when your infrastructure can’t support safe, connected, and reproducible science, it’s not just a person in a lab that is at risk. It can and will impact entire organizations.

The expanding definition of organizational risk in the lab

For many institutions, “risk management” still begins and ends with compliance—making sure safety data sheets are filed, audits are passed, and training is up to date. All important. But that narrow view misses the wider scope of organizational risk that organizations face every day.

Organizational risk can result in not only regulatory fines or failed inspections, but operational breakdowns, reputational damage, intellectual property loss, and even legal liability. These aren’t abstract threats—they’re real consequences that emerge when your systems can’t keep up with scientific complexity.

Imagine a promising discovery lost inside of a paper notebook that leaves with a departing researcher. A mislabeled chemical triggering a safety incident. A training lapse that results in an unqualified person operating high-risk equipment or mishandling hazardous chemicals.  Imagine a safety eye wash or shower in a lab that is not turned on for years or inspected regularly? These scenarios are common failure points in labs running on disconnected systems that are not focused on holistic organizational risk management.

In labs around the world, risk management is still too often treated as a checkbox—a compliance form, a safety poster, a door sign, or a training module that may or may not have been completed. But from where I sit, and especially within context of the most significant pandemic in modern history, the traditional definition of ‘risk management’ is dangerously narrow. And dangerously outdated.

• Wasted research effort, when poor systems prevent illumination of the research occurring in real time, informing speedy go/no-go decisions on unviable projects.
• Lawsuits stemming from irreproducible research, missing digital records, or IP ownership disputes.
• Fines for inadequate reporting or noncompliance with fire codes, biosafety rules, and local regulations.
• Audit failures that stall funding, delay research, or expose gaps in oversight.
• Fire hazards, from mislabeled or misplaced chemicals and incompatible storage.
• Inventory risks, including missing samples, spoiled materials, and even the disappearance of dangerous substances.
• Untrained personnel using high-risk equipment or performing hazardous protocols.
• Equipment breakdowns due to missed maintenance or poor oversight.
• Biosafety incidents—as the world was reminded during COVID—that can escalate into public health emergencies.
• Delayed lab permits due to poor documentation or lack of operational readiness.
• Manual data errors in spreadsheets that compromise data integrity—or worse, result in lost discoveries.
• Paper-based records that vanish with staff turnover, or are literally recycled with critical insight inside.

These are not rare edge cases. They’re common, costly, and often preventable failures that emerge when labs operate without centralized, integrated systems, focused on delivering results while minimizing risk.

Beyond passing inspections, organizational risk management is about protecting your science, your people, and your future. In a world where a single mistake can lead to reputational damage, legal exposure, or public health consequences, scientific organizations must think bigger—and act sooner—when it comes to mitigating organizational risk.

Why your systems are your first line of defense

You can’t manage what you can’t see. And when your lab’s infrastructure is built on disconnected systems, what you can’t see can hurt you.

Risk often takes root in operational blind spots, such as missed equipment checks, untracked chemicals, expired certifications, mislabeled samples, and out-of-date inspections. These aren’t caused by carelessness, but by architecture: the fractured, bolt-on infrastructure that’s become the norm in too many labs fail to illuminate the precise data required to assess and mitigate organizational risk.

That’s why we built something fundamentally different: the SciSure Scientific Management Platform (SMP). It brings together every critical layer of lab operations—health and safety, inventory, training, equipment, and research data—into a single, integrated ecosystem. No more bouncing between disconnected systems or relying on workarounds. With the SMP, labs operate from one central source of truth: a shared home base where scientists, safety officers, and leadership stay aligned, informed, and in control.

This connected infrastructure mitigates organizational risk in three powerful ways:

1. It improves visibility. Lab managers, Principal Investigators, EHS teams, Lab Operations, and Senior Leadership can see what’s happening across every lab in real time. Whether it's a flagged inspection, a chemical storage issue, a missed training deadline, or simply an inventory of people, places, and hazards, nothing is hidden.
2. It strengthens traceability. From procurement through to publication, every item and action is digitally logged and re-producible. Inventory is auto-classified. Experiments are linked to protocols. Data is preserved, and accountability is built in.
3. It standardizes safety and compliance. Training is recorded in-platform, tied directly to user roles and workflows. Chemical inventory management is not buried but automated instead. Reporting and audit readiness becomes part of the daily routine, not a last-minute scramble.

Because no two organizations or labs are exactly alike, the SMP is built to evolve with your organization’s needs. With open application programming interfaces (APIs) and seamless custom integration capabilities, it connects with your existing tools and infrastructure, maximizing flexibility making your organization future-proof and responsive as new technologies emerge.

Intelligence only works if the infrastructure does

Centralizing your tools and data lays the groundwork for what comes next. As artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning become practical realities in scientific labs, systems need more than connectivity—they need clarity. And that starts with clean, consistent, centralized data to combat data fragmentation and siloed systems.

Without clean data, even the most sophisticated AI-powered systems are limited, and can introduce new risks instead of solving them. That’s why integrated digital lab infrastructure isn’t just a technical upgrade, it’s a critical enabler of intelligent, risk-aware operations.

The SciSure Scientific Management Platform delivers that foundation. All operational data—from inventory to inspections, training records to equipment logs—flows through a single platform. That means labs can maintain visibility into research and experiments, enforce safety protocols, trace activity across the research lifecycle, and stay audit-ready by default.

With that foundation in place, your lab can be future-ready for AI integration, unlocking the potential to:

• Spot patterns in compliance issues across locations or teams
• Predict safety risks based on historical incident trends
• Assist with faster classification and inventory management using image recognition
• Prioritize alerts based on pattern recognition and historical incident data

These aren’t just productivity wins—they’re risk mitigators. AI has the potential to be a proactive partner in lab safety, reproducibility, and decision-making—but only if the infrastructure is ready for it.

From reactive compliance to proactive stewardship

Many labs treat compliance as a periodic task—something to prepare for in advance of an audit, not something embedded in day-to-day operations. But that mindset is changing fast.

Regulatory scrutiny is intensifying across the globe. In May 2025, an executive order in the United States, “Restoring Gold Standard Science”, expanded federal oversight of research labs, public and private alike. Local agencies are also stepping up: fire departments now routinely require up-to-date chemical inventories, and biosafety protocols are under sharper review in the wake of COVID-era lessons.

In this climate, ticking boxes isn’t enough. Labs are expected to demonstrate continuous oversight, enforceable safeguards, and digital traceability. This is where the conversation shifts from compliance to stewardship. Because the real question isn’t “can we pass an audit?” It’s “can we guarantee the integrity of our science—and the safety of those doing it?”.

Stewardship means knowing your risks before an inspector points them out. It means building infrastructure that protects your science as carefully as you pursue it. And it means recognizing that organizational risk doesn’t just threaten lab operations, it also threatens public trust.

Resilient science starts with the right systems

Organizational risk isn’t theoretical. It’s operational, financial, and sometimes existential. And in today’s labs, it’s growing.

Labs can’t afford to be reactive. The risks are too great, and the consequences too far-reaching. Whether it’s a safety incident, a lost dataset, or a delayed approval, every gap in oversight undermines not just your research but the trust that research depends on.

The answer isn’t more tools. It’s better infrastructure.

At SciSure, we believe the future of science depends on systems that do more than capture data—they protect it. Systems that don’t just enable research, but safeguard it. That’s why we built the SciSure Scientific Management Platform from the ground up for the people who need it—to give labs the foundation they need to work smarter, move faster, and reduce risk at every level.

Because when the stakes are this high, the infrastructure behind your science matters as much as the science itself.

Ready to take a proactive approach to organizational risk?

Let’s talk. SciSure is here to help you build a lab environment that’s safer, smarter, and built for the future.

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¹ Sun, D., Gao, W., Hu, H., & Zhou, S. (2022). Why 90% of clinical drug development fails and how to improve it? Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, 12(7), 3049–3062. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsb.2022.02.002

What if your digital lab actually made your life easier?

Digital transformation is supposed to make labs more efficient. More compliant. More connected. But too often, it ends up doing the opposite.

Instead of solving problems, it adds complexity—another login, another workflow, another tool that doesn’t quite fit. Scientists are burdened by additional admin. Lab managers lose visibility. Safety is treated as an afterthought. The promise of digitalization gets lost in a maze of disjointed systems.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Done right, a digital lab delivers not just operational excellence, but operational simplicity. It’s a space where science, safety and operational oversight work in sync—where systems support your scientists, not slow them down. That’s the kind of lab we’re building at SciSure: one that’s not just digital for digital’s sake, but genuinely easier to run, manage, and grow.

That’s what this article is about: how to get digital lab transformation right. Read on for some practical tips to help you avoid the common pitfalls, build buy-in, and create a platform your entire team actually wants to use.

Start with people, not platforms

Digital transformation isn’t just a tech decision—it’s a culture shift. And the success of any new system depends on how well it fits the people expected to use it. That’s why the smartest digital lab projects don’t start with a software demo. They start with a conversation.

If your scientists are already juggling ten systems, another tool won’t feel like help. If lab managers don’t see how change will simplify compliance or increase visibility, adoption stalls. And if EHS teams feel excluded, safety is destined to remain an afterthought.

Before anything is rolled out, get in the room with your scientists, lab ops, lab managers, and EHS teams. Ask where things are breaking down. Where are they duplicating effort? What slows them down or stresses them out? What would “better” actually look like in their day-to-day? These are the insights that should shape your implementation—not just a list of features, but a real-world map of needs, workflows and frustrations.

At SciSure, this is exactly how we approach transformation. Our Scientific Management Platform (SMP) is designed to adapt to the way labs already work. Whether it’s scientists logging experiments, EHS teams tracking compliance, or managers overseeing resources, everything lives in a shared environment, tailored to each user’s role.

Because when your system reflects your team’s reality, adoption isn’t something you have to push—it’s something that just makes sense.

Start small, prove fast

One of the most common mistakes in digital lab transformation is trying to roll out everything too fast.

Eager to modernize, labs often aim for full rollout from day one—digitizing every workflow, onboarding every team, and expecting instant adoption across the board. But when everything changes at once, even the best system can feel like disruption.

A more effective approach is to start with a single, meaningful use case. Something high-friction but high-impact: maybe it’s streamlining sample traceability, tracking chemical inventory, or embedding safety training into daily workflows. Pick a problem your team cares about. Solve it well. Then show the results. Crawl. Walk. Jog. Run.  

Define your success measures up front: e.g., reducing errors by 50% or cutting approval time by 30%. Roll out early to a target group, celebrate that win, measure impact, then use it to fuel the next phase. This approach builds confidence. It gives scientists and lab managers a reason to engage. And it creates space for feedback before scaling further.

At SciSure, we’ve built our Scientific Management Platform to support this phased approach. Labs can begin with targeted capabilities—whether it’s ELN, LIMS, or EHS—and add others as needs evolve. Every success story becomes a stepping stone, not a silo.

Choose tools that fit the way you work

No two labs are alike. Yet too often, software treats them as if they are.

Rigid systems expect labs to fit their mold—forcing teams to follow workflows that don’t match their reality and use disconnected tools that were never built to work together. That’s when the friction starts: duplicated data, clunky workarounds, and mounting frustration.

The right digital lab platform should do the opposite. It should meet your team where they are, then evolve with you over time.

That’s why the SciSure SMP brings together ELN, LIMS, EHS, and integrations into one unified environment—while staying flexible enough to adapt to your lab’s reality. You can configure workflows, define access by role, and phase in capabilities at your own pace.

And when it comes to integration, we don’t believe in locking you into a closed ecosystem. Through our developer hub and connected vendor marketplace, SciSure supports custom integrations via open Application Programming Interfaces (API) and Software Development Kits—so your instruments, software, and third-party services can all connect natively. Whether it’s environmental sensors, procurement platforms, or freezer monitoring tools, data flows directly into the system, no copying, pasting, or reformatting required.

Because transformation doesn’t mean disruption. It means making your digital lab feel like home—familiar, connected, and designed around the way you work.

Don’t add safety later—build it in from the start

In too many labs, safety still feels like something you do at the end—like buckling your seatbelt after you’ve arrived. It’s treated as a compliance chore, not a core part of scientific work. And EHS professionals are often seen as the enforcers, not the enablers. That mindset has to change.

In a truly modern digital lab, safety isn’t something you remember at the last minute. It’s already there—woven into daily workflows, embedded in routine actions, and visible to every stakeholder without extra effort.

That’s the shift SciSure enables. Our platform integrates EHS directly into the systems scientists already use—no jumping between tabs, no hunting for forms, no more disconnected checklists. Risk assessments are linked to protocols. Safety training is automatically assigned, tracked, and renewed. Chemical usage is logged in real time. SDS records are accessible in a click.

Inspections, audits, and incident reporting are no longer isolated events—they’re ongoing processes made simple through automation and role-based visibility. Every task completed contributes to a safer, more compliant environment, without adding extra steps.

Because when safety is part of the flow, it’s not something you chase. It’s something you sustain.

Plan for change—not just rollout

Digital transformation isn’t a one-time switch. It’s a shift in how your lab works, and that shift needs to be nurtured.  

Too many projects stumble after launch because change management was an afterthought. Teams weren’t trained. Ownership wasn’t clear. Feedback wasn’t captured. And what started as innovation became just another system people work around. To avoid that fate, build change into your plan from the start.

Assign internal champions. Define who owns which workflows. Create space for training—not just upfront, but ongoing. And choose a platform that grows with you, not one that locks you into rigid workflows.

At SciSure, we designed our platform to evolve alongside the labs that use it. That means in-product guidance, dedicated onboarding support, and capabilities that can be phased in as your needs change. From our developer hub to our vendor marketplace, everything is built to support connection and continuous improvement—not complexity for complexity’s sake.

Change is only hard when you’re going it alone. With SciSure, you’re not.

Build the lab your team deserves

Most scientists didn’t choose this career to spend their days clicking through disconnected systems, chasing down compliance records, or copying data between spreadsheets. But somewhere along the way, that became the norm. It doesn’t have to stay that way.

A successful digital lab isn’t defined by how many point solutions it has—it’s defined by how well its systems work for the people inside it. When your systems are connected, your workflows are clear, and your safety processes are seamless, everything changes. Scientists get time back. Lab managers get real visibility. EHS teams stop chasing problems and start preventing them.

That’s what transformation looks like when it’s done right. And that’s the kind of lab SciSure’s SMP was built to support.

Because at the end of the day, digital tools should help you do what you set out to do in the first place: focus on the science, move faster with confidence, and build something that lasts.

Ready to unlock operational simplicity in your lab?

Let’s talk. SciSure’s Scientific Management Platform is built to simplify operations, unite your teams, and bring safety, science, and oversight into one connected system.

Get in touch to see how we can help you build a digital lab that actually works for your people.

Most modern labs assume their lab data is in good shape. After all, they’re using digital systems—LIMS, ELNs, instrument software, cloud storage. Surely that means data integrity is covered?

In reality, most labs are handling an array of point solutions and digital tools that don’t connect. Data gets siloed. Workflows get fragmented. And what looks like a digital lab on the surface often hides serious gaps underneath—gaps that can lead to inconsistencies, errors and missing audit trails.

That’s a big issue. Because in science, trust means everything. Whether you’re publishing results, sharing data with collaborators, or building evidence for a regulatory submission, everything rests on confidence in your lab data.

If you’re still juggling disconnected digital solutions, your data might be at risk—not because your team is doing anything wrong, but because your systems can’t keep up. In this article, we’ll unpack five often-overlooked threats to data integrity, and offer practical steps any lab can take to tighten control, reduce risk and protect the reliability of its science.

1. Disconnected tools, fragmented lab data

Many labs are running on a patchwork of digital systems: a LIMS for sample tracking, an ELN for experiment notes, an instrument interface for results, and a separate system for approvals or QC. Individually, these tools do their job. But together? They often don’t.

Without integration, lab data ends up split across platforms. Teams copy and paste between systems, re-enter the same information multiple times, or rely on offline workarounds to bridge the gaps. That’s when the cracks start to show.

Inconsistent records. Misaligned timestamps. A missing version of a file just when an auditor needs it. These issues aren’t the result of poor practice—they’re symptoms of poor connectivity. When your tools don’t talk to each other, your data doesn’t flow. And when data doesn’t flow, it’s difficult to trust.‍

Our recommendation:‍

Invest in a connected platform that unifies your core systems—LIMS, ELN, EHS and integrations—into a single system where data flows seamlessly. SciSure’s Scientific Management Platform (SMP) is built to do exactly that, helping labs close data gaps and maintain full oversight of their data from end to end.

2. Uncontrolled access undermines accountability

In many labs, access control is still an afterthought. Shared logins. Generic passwords. Local files saved to desktops or emailed between colleagues. It’s workable—but it’s risky.

Without proper user permissions and audit trails, you can’t see who changed what, when, or why. And when something goes wrong—a result looks off, a file is missing, or two versions conflict—you have no reliable way to trace the issue. It’s not just inconvenient. It undermines confidence in your lab data and creates real risk during audits, QA reviews or disputes.

This isn’t just a security issue. It’s a data integrity issue. And it can catch even well-run labs off guard during audits or investigations.

Our recommendation:

Implement role-based access controls across your entire lab environment. Ensure every user action is logged and traceable, with clear audit trails for edits, approvals and data handovers. SciSure’s SMP is designed with granular permission layers and built-in traceability—so your lab data tells a clear story, from creation to completion.

3. Audit trails that fall apart under pressure

It’s easy to assume your lab is audit-ready—until someone asks for proof. Too often, audit trails are partial, scattered, or dependent on individual knowledge. Files saved under ambiguous names. Data approvals managed via email. A key document sitting on someone’s desktop who left months ago.

When auditor, collaborators, or QA teams ask to see how or when a decision was made, your lab data should speak for itself. If you can’t produce a clear trail, you risk non-compliance, project delays, or even the loss of regulatory approval.

Audit gaps aren’t always obvious. They creep in through informal processes, disconnected tools, and the assumption that someone else has the record.

Our recommendation:

Build audit-readiness into your daily workflows—not as an afterthought, but as a default. With SciSure’s SMP, every data point, action and approval is automatically logged and versioned—so your lab data is always ready to defend itself.

4. Lab data living outside the system

You’d be surprised how much data still lives off-grid.

Files tucked away on personal drives. USBs passed between team members. Screenshots of results emailed for convenience. Even when a lab uses digital systems, there’s often a shadow layer of untracked data that exists outside any controlled environment.

The risks are huge. When data isn’t captured within your core systems, it can’t be secured, audited, or versioned. That leaves labs vulnerable to loss, duplication, or misinterpretation—especially when key team members move on or regulators come knocking.

Worse, it creates a false sense of confidence. You think your lab data is centralized and complete—until someone needs a file that never made it into the system.

Our recommendation:

Make it effortless for your team to keep lab data where it belongs: in a secure, connected platform. SciSure’s SMP supports direct instrument integrations, centralized data capture and easy upload mechanisms—so valuable data doesn’t slip through the cracks.

5. Version confusion and the illusion of control

Not all data risks come from missing records. Sometimes the problem is having too many versions, stored across email threads, shared folders, or downloaded from different platforms. Without strong lifecycle controls, labs lose sight of which version is the final, approved, or most accurate one.

You might have an SOP in place. But when five people edit five copies of the same file—and no system records who did what, or when—it’s only a matter of time before errors creep in. Critical decisions get made using outdated or incomplete information. And no one notices until results are questioned or workflows break down.

This kind of version drift doesn’t just slow things down—it undermines trust in your lab data and weakens your ability to stand behind it.

‍Not necessarily.

Treat data versioning and review as core parts of your lab infrastructure—not side processes. SciSure’s SMP enforces single-source data management with full version history, approval workflows and audit logs—so you always know which file is the right one, and why.

Data integrity doesn’t fail loudly… until it does

Most integrity failures don’t come from a single dramatic mistake. They build up slowly, through small oversights, disconnected systems, and assumptions that everything is “under control”.

But when the moment comes—an audit, a submission, a collaboration—your lab data needs to hold up. It needs to be complete, connected and defensible.

That only happens when your systems are designed for integrity from the ground up.

SciSure’s Scientific Management Platform helps labs do just that—by unifying your LIMS, ELN, instrument integrations and compliance workflows into one connected environment. No more silos. No more shadow data. Just visible, reproducible data you can trust.

Ready to take control of your data?

Let’s talk. SciSure’s Scientific Management Platform is built to close integrity gaps and give you complete visibility across your lab.

Get in touch to see how we can help you protect your data—and the science behind it.

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In a lab, every reagent, sample, and piece of equipment matters. When supplies aren’t where they should be--or worse, when they’ve expired--research stalls, timelines stretch, and costs climb.

That’s why efficient lab stock management is more than just “keeping shelves organized.” It’s the backbone of productivity, compliance, and research integrity.

The SciSure Scientific Management Platform (formerly eLabNext) is redefining how labs handle stock by moving beyond spreadsheets and paper logs to automated, real-time tracking.

In this blog, we will cover:

• What is laboratory stock?
• Common challenges in laboratory stock management
• Improving laboratory stock management with digital lab solutions
• Best practices for effective laboratory stock management

Read on as we explore the challenges associated with managing lab stock and discuss how digital solutions like SciSure for Inventory Management can help optimize your lab’s efficiency and effectiveness.

What is laboratory stock?

Laboratory stock includes all the materials and resources your lab relies on—reagents, chemicals, consumables, and equipment. Managing this stock isn’t just about knowing what you have on hand. It also means:

• Monitoring usage trends to prevent over- or understocking
• Tracking expiration dates to ensure quality and safety
• Managing storage conditions so materials stay usable
• Planning for long-term projects and budgeting effectively

Without proper oversight, labs risk project delays, wasted materials, and increased costs.

Common challenges in laboratory stock management

Stock management can make or break a research project. Here are the biggest hurdles labs face--especially when relying on manual processes:

Over- and under-stocking

Challenge: Labs often struggle to maintain the right balance of stock. Overstocking occurs when more materials are ordered than needed, leading to excess inventory that may expire before use. Understocking, on the other hand, happens when insufficient stock is ordered, causing delays in research or halting experiments altogether.

Consequences: Overstocking leads to wasted resources, as excess materials may become obsolete or expire. This not only increases costs but also takes up valuable storage space. Understocking can be equally detrimental, as it can disrupt research timelines and lead to missed deadlines or opportunities.

Manual tracking and human error

Challenge: Many labs still rely on manual processes to track stock levels, using spreadsheets or even paper records. This method is prone to human error, such as miscounts, data entry mistakes, or overlooked items.

Consequences: Inaccurate stock levels can lead to operational inefficiencies, such as running out of critical supplies or over-ordering materials that are already in stock. These errors increase costs and waste time as lab staff must correct discrepancies and ensure that the right materials are available.

Keeping track of expiry dates

Challenge: Managing the expiry dates of chemicals and reagents can be challenging, especially in larger labs with significant inventory. Expired materials pose safety risks and can compromise the quality of experiments.

Consequences: Using expired materials can lead to compromised experiments, invalid results and safety hazards. Additionally, the disposal of expired materials contributes to waste and increases operational costs.

Inefficient reordering processes

Challenge: Traditional reordering processes often involve manually checking stock levels and placing orders, which can be slow and prone to oversight. This can result in stockouts or delays in receiving critical supplies.

Consequences: Inefficient reordering processes can disrupt lab schedules and delay experiments, especially when essential materials are not available on time. This not only hampers productivity but can also increase costs if urgent orders or expedited shipping are required.

These common challenges and consequences underscore the importance of implementing robust laboratory stock management practices. A sure way to achieve this is by leveraging digital solutions designed to boost efficiency and consistency in stock management.

Improving laboratory stock management with digital lab solutions

The SciSure Scientific Management Platform (SMP) combines ELN and LIMS capabilities in one system, giving labs full control over stock.

Here’s how it transforms inventory management:

• Automated stock tracking: Eliminate manual inputs. Every stock movement is logged automatically, providing real-time accuracy.
• Real-time monitoring: Get instant alerts for low inventory or approaching expiration dates—before they become issues.
• Expiry date tracking: Automated reminders prevent expired reagents from slipping into experiments, safeguarding results and saving costs.
• Automated reordering: Set thresholds for supplies. When stock runs low, SciSure generates purchase orders, ensuring you never face shortages.

Together, these features reduce waste, cut costs, and keep research on schedule.

Best practices for effective laboratory stock management

Even with a powerful platform, stock management works best when paired with good practices. Here are five to prioritize:

1. Conduct regular audits: Verify system accuracy with scheduled physical checks.
2. Train staff properly: Ensure everyone knows how to use the platform effectively.
3. Set reorder points: Define thresholds based on usage history and lead times.
4. Leverage reporting features: Use data insights to refine purchasing and reduce waste.
5. Implement FIFO (First-In, First-Out): Rotate stock to use older items first and avoid unnecessary waste.

With these practices, digital tools deliver even more value.

Stocking up on success

Poor stock management can derail even the best research. By pairing smart practices with the SciSure SMP, labs gain a reliable, automated system that ensures materials are always available, safe, and ready to use.

From automated stock tracking to expiry alerts and reordering, SciSure empowers labs to operate with confidence, efficiency, and control.

Ready to elevate your lab’s stock management? Feel the benefits of digital inventory management for yourself with a free personal demo.

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Originally published on October 17, 2024. Edited on August 11, 2025.

What made you get into science?

You probably didn’t imagine a future spent buried in spreadsheets, logging into ten different tools, or chasing inventory approvals. You didn’t think about hours spent formatting compliance reports, chasing different departments, or spending half your time trying to find missing data.

Let’s face it—you didn’t get into science for the admin. But somehow, that’s where the journey led. Somewhere along the way, science became paperwork. Discovery turned into red tape. Curiosity took a backseat to compliance.

At SciSure, we believe it’s time to change that.

Science has a workflow problem

Today’s labs are bursting with digital tools—ELNs, LIMS, inventory management software, EHS platforms, procurement systems—but most of them don’t talk to each other. These single-point solutions were designed to address one aspect of the puzzle, not the entire picture.

If a scientist needs to run an experiment, they might need to check three siloed databases, coordinate with two departments, and track down someone in procurement—all before they even pick up a pipette.

Lab operations and EHS teams are equally overwhelmed. They’re working tirelessly to support the science, but with little visibility into what’s happening across the labs, and little time to chase down missing data or out-of-date records. Instead of being proactive, they’re stuck in a constant cycle of reactive problem-solving.

It’s chaotic. It’s inefficient. But most of all, it’s not what the Scientist Experience should feel like.

As I said to a room full of scientists at a recent event:

“Close your eyes and think back to the moment you decided to become a scientist. Did you picture spending half your time on admin work?” 

The room responded with an odd kind of laughter, not because it was funny. Because it was real. Because every person there felt the pain. And the worst part? We’ve all accepted it as usual. But normal doesn’t mean acceptable—and at SciSure, we’re here to challenge that.

Introducing SciSure’s Scientific Management Platform

We’re not here to add another tool to the pile. We’re here to replace the pile with something new. Something comprehensive. Something built from the ground up for the people who actually use it.

SciSure is the result of a bold, deliberate merger between two established names in digital lab technology: eLabNext, long respected for its ELN and LIMS capabilities, and SciShield, a trusted leader in EHS, compliance, and lab safety. By combining our offerings, we have become the first platform to connect the whole triangle of scientists, lab operations, and EHS in one unified system. No silos. No disconnects. No handoffs between incompatible tools.

Welcome to the Scientific Management Platform (SMP): a true home base for the modern lab. A place where every part of your day—from experiment planning to procurement to training reminders—is connected, visible, and easy to manage.

‍Most of us can still remember. It wasn’t just a subject at school—it was a spark. A moment. You saw something under a microscope that made the invisible visible, read about a medical breakthrough, or started asking questions that nobody had the answers to. And you thought: “I want to do this. I want to change the world.”
As a result, lab staff today spend hours toggling between platforms, re-entering the same data multiple times, or emailing colleagues for updates that are buried in someone else’s system. Compliance logs reside in one system, while inventory records are stored in another. Safety training records might be tracked in spreadsheets that only one person knows how to access. 

• One login instead of ten.
• One interface instead of half a dozen.
• One continuous experience, where your experiment, your materials, your inventory, your compliance, and your safety are all part of the same workflows.
• A digital marketplace of pre-built integrations and add-ons for the tools you trust.

At the heart of SciSure is something we call the Scientist Experience (SX). While most platforms focus on generic “user experience (UX)”, we’ve gone further. SciSure is purpose-built for science, with workflows, functionality, and connectivity that feel intuitive to researchers, not retrofitted for them. This isn’t consumer-grade UX repackaged for the lab—it’s a purpose-built experience designed to support the way scientists actually work.

No more jumping between disconnected systems. No more missing data, miscommunications, or duplicative admin.

Just science. Streamlined and reproducible.

We’ve brought ELN, LIMS, EHS, inventory, procurement, and safety into one system to create the first truly end-to-end SMP because scientists deserve better. Because the science itself depends on it.

Operational simplicity, not complexity

In the biopharma world, you hear a lot about “operational excellence.” But let’s be honest—too often, that “excellence” looks like a long and complex roadmap, a multi-year digital transformation strategy, and a small army of consultants and resources just to get started. 

I, for one, prefer the term operational simplicity. Improving your lab shouldn’t be overwhelming. It shouldn’t require ripping everything out and starting from scratch. And it definitely shouldn’t mean waiting years to see value.

You should be able to start today. Start with what matters most—maybe that’s digitalizing your protocols, automating your inventory management, bolstering your safety workflows, or getting a grip on training compliance. Start where the pain is loudest. And then build from there. 

With SciSure, you don’t need to onboard everything at once. Our platform is modular, scalable, and flexible, so you adopt what you need, when you need it. You grow at your own pace, with solutions that you will never outgrow as you scale. 

You control the pace. You control the priorities. You control the controllables.

That last line is something I’m always saying to our team—and to our customers. Because in an industry that’s dealing with economic pressure, regulatory uncertainty, and tightening budgets, you can’t control the chaos out there.

But you can control how your lab operates. You can build a system that’s efficient, compliant, and delivers proven ROI—without needing a complete overhaul every time something shifts. Simplicity isn’t a shortcut. It’s a strategy, and it’s one I’m proud to stand for.

Safety that’s built in—not bolted on

Too often, lab safety is treated like an afterthought. It’s like buckling your seatbelt when you’ve already arrived at your destination—performative, reactive, and, frankly, too late. It’s a bit of a “check the box” exercise.

In many labs, safety is something scientists ‘remember’ to do right before someone checks in. Training reminders get lost in junk email inboxes. Chemical inventories get updated days after the work is done. Compliance audits spark frantic document hunts. Meanwhile, EHS teams, instead of being proactive partners, become the bad guys chasing people down.

That’s not a people problem. That’s a system problem. And I’ve seen the consequences firsthand.

An early part of my career was in protective apparel, where I designed lab coat safety programs for complex research centers. I learned of a heartbreaking story of a young researcher who never made it home after a lab accident. It felt like we could have done so much more to protect her and others. I remember asking, “Why aren’t we fixing this?” The answer shocked me: “Because it’s research. We can’t always make scientists follow the rules.”

But instead of blaming the scientists, I asked a different question: “Why aren't they following the rules?” 
What I found changed everything for me. The PPE wasn’t built for them. It was uncomfortable, impractical, and designed without their input. So my team and I redesigned it from the ground up and made it readily accessible, including a special fit for women. Today, that flame-resistant lab coat is widely used in labs all over the world. Not because we mandated safety, but because we built it for people who needed to wear it. Built by scientists, for scientists.

That experience shaped everything I do. At SciSure, we’ve taken the same approach.

We asked:

• Why are scientists overwhelmed?
• Why does EHS feel like a nuisance instead of a partner?
• Why is lab ops always chasing problems instead of preventing them?

Now we are building the platform to fix it. With the Scientific Management Platform, safety and compliance are no longer bolted on at the end—they’re built in from the start: Training alerts live in your home base, right where you log your experiments. Hazards drive requirements for safety procedures and training. EHS gets visibility without needing to micromanage and nag scientists for updates. 

With our SMP, lab operations, EHS, and scientists aren’t on separate teams anymore. They’re part of one connected system, supporting each other in real time. We’re not perfect, and we won’t pretend to be. But we’re listening. We’re building. And we’re solving a problem that no one else has had the guts to take on. 

Because true safety shouldn’t slow science down. It should set it free.

The future of the Scientist Experience (SX)

Imagine a lab where scientists don’t dread admin days. EHS isn’t the bad guy. Ops isn’t stuck chasing down updates, and every part of your research journey is connected, compliant, and reproducible. Imagine a system that offers pre-built integrations and add-ons with tools you already use and trust.

That’s what we’re building.

Not because it’s easy. But because it’s necessary. Because great science deserves to be scalable and reproducible. Because patients are waiting, and because somewhere, a young scientist believes she can change the world.

Let’s help her achieve it. 

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Inventory might not be the most glamorous part of laboratory work—but it’s one of the most important. Without the right reagents, samples, and equipment on hand, research stalls. Worse, poor inventory management can lead to wasted resources, safety risks, and even compromised results.

The good news? Platforms like the SciSure (formerly eLabNext) Scientific Management Platform (SMP) is helping labs move beyond outdated paper logbooks, replacing them with automated, streamlined systems that keep operations running smoothly.

In this blog, we will highlight:

• Why efficient inventory management is essential
• What lab inventory management involves
• Best practices for lab inventory management
• The benefits of digitalizing your lab's inventory management

Robust inventory management should be the backbone of any successful lab operation. Despite this, many laboratories continue to use outdated methods, like paper-based inventory logging, leading to inefficiencies, waste, and potential errors. Cutting-edge digital solutions, like SciSure are revolutionizing the way laboratories manage and track their resources. 

Are you ready to master the art of lab inventory management? Read on for our best practices and top tips to help you achieve optimal organization, efficiency, and cost-saving in your laboratory. 

Why is efficient inventory management essential?

Efficient lab inventory management underpins successful daily lab operations. It gives lab personnel streamlined access to the necessary resources, minimizes waste, and reduces costs, all while improving overall lab productivity. By standardizing inventory infrastructure and processes, labs can maintain research integrity by ensuring consistent organization, storage, and application of reagents and materials.

Maximizing the efficiency of inventory management systems is critical for a wide variety of laboratory and clinical settings. From biobanks, to academic research labs, contract research organisations, to commercial laboratories and hospital pathology departments; standardized inventory management is essential for ensuring that lab operations remain robust and reliable.

What does lab inventory management involve?

At its core, inventory management covers everything from procuring and labeling to storing and monitoring lab materials. That includes:

• Tracking reagent and sample stock levels
• Ordering and reordering supplies
• Ensuring proper storage conditions
• Documenting usage and expiration dates

The challenge? Manual logbooks and spreadsheets are slow, error-prone, and hard to scale. That’s why many labs are turning to a Scientific Management Platform for greater accuracy, efficiency, and control.

Best practices for lab inventory management

Substantial benefits can be achieved by instilling a robust lab inventory management regime. By adopting these best practices, you can not only ensure a smoother operational flow within your lab but also significantly mitigate potential errors, enhance safety compliance and achieve considerable cost efficiencies.

1. Perform regular stock/inventory checks

Regular stock checks maintain the balance of lab inventory, preventing the accumulation of unnecessary items, while identifying those that are expired or nearing expiration. This practice is crucial as expired materials can lead to research disruptions and failed experiments. As such, consistent stock checking can minimise waste, optimize budget utilization and help maintain quality control in the lab. 

2. Accurate labelling and documentation

Thorough labeling and record-keeping are fundamental for seamless lab operation. When managed poorly, labelling errors can lead to contaminated samples, incorrect usage of materials and other costly mistakes. Proper documentation and labelling can significantly improve research reproducibility, reliability and ultimately maintain the integrity of a laboratory's work.

3. Ensure proper storage conditions

Storing reagents and samples in optimal conditions is critical for preserving their integrity. This includes adopting good cold storage management practices, such as regular defrosting, shelving rotation and avoiding large empty spaces in fridges. It is vital to monitor the storage timeframes of sensitive materials as they can become unusable due to heat, cold or moisture exposure.

4. Use a first-in, first-out policy

Using older stock first reduces the risk of having to discard expired items and helps in managing costs more efficiently. This system ensures that materials are used in the order they were received, reducing waste and ensuring all items are utilized before their expiration date. 

5. Adopt a Scientific Management Platform

Digital lab inventory systems offer an off-the-shelf solution for tracking and managing lab inventory. By digitalizing your lab's inventory management, you can effortlessly monitor material usage, inventory levels, expiration daPlatforms like SciSure automate stock tracking, expiry alerts, and procurement, minimizing human error while boosting efficiency.

Why digital inventory management wins every time

Digitalization is by far the most effective way to ensure that your lab's inventory management remains efficient and sustainable.

With SciSure's LIMS capabilities, you can effortlessly manage all aspects of inventory tracking, from procurement and stock checks to storage and usage monitoring. With a robust smart digital system in place, your lab will have a solid foundation for successful research outcomes and streamlined workflows. From small start-up labs to large institutions, SciSure can be tailored to fit to your specific requirements. 

Let's take a look at some of the smart digital features that can galvanize your lab inventory management processes:

Visualize your whole inventory

Lab inventory management systems help you digitally visualize your entire lab inventory, making it easy to browse through and locate samples and specimens in your lab storage setup. Offering a centralised platform for all key inventory information, including sample tracking, storage locations, stock levels and procurement information, lab inventory management systems provide all lab staff with access to accurate and up-to-date storage data in real-time.

Streamline procurement processes

Manual procurement of key lab reagents can be tedious, especially when multiple vendors are involved. With the right lab inventory management system in place, you can streamline your procurement procedures by automating purchases when stock levels reach a pre-defined value. This feature helps improve cost efficiency while reducing potential delays in lab processes. Additionally, having all procurement information stored digitally minimizes incorrect ordering due to human error.

Benefit from barcode automation

One of the most significant benefits of digitalizing your lab inventory management is the implementation of barcode technology. With digital solutions like our SciSure SMP, you can quickly generate barcodes for all your lab materials and equipment, streamlining tracking, usage monitoring and facilitating automated reorder processes. Barcode automation significantly reduces the time spent on manual stock checks.

Achieve augmented biobanking

Biobanks, which store biological specimens for research and diagnostic purposes, require robust inventory management. With a LIMS, biobanks can enhance processes by digitalizing sample labeling and tracking, optimal storage conditions, cell passage requirements, and more.

Customize user roles and permissions

By integrating lab inventory management systems into your lab, you can assign individual user roles and permissions, ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive information and procurement abilities. This feature helps maintain the integrity of data and minimizes the risk of unauthorized use or misplacement of valuable materials.

Reduce instrument downtime  

Lab equipment and instruments are valuable assets that require careful maintenance and management to ensure their longevity. With lab inventory management systems, you can digitally monitor instrument usage, maintenance schedules, and calibration data. This feature helps your lab reduce instrument downtime due to unexpected malfunctions while ensuring optimal performance.

Unlock further features with ELN connectivity

SciSure offers LIMS and ELN capabilities on a single interface. This integration enables the connection of samples and reagents with study data, facilitating enhanced data connectivity, robust audit trails and easier data retrieval. With ELN connectivity, your lab can achieve improved quality control processes, simplified collaboration and streamlined research workflows.

Time to go digital?

Outdated paper logbooks can’t keep pace with the demands of modern labs. The SciSure Scientific Management Platform not only simplifies inventory tracking but also safeguards research integrity, cuts costs, and frees up your team to focus on what matters most: science.

Ready to see how SciSure can transform your lab’s inventory management? Book a free demo today

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Orginially published on October 4, 2024. Edited on July 29, 2025.

Trust is the currency of science.

Whether you’re publishing results, submitting regulatory data, or developing new therapeutics, the confidence others have in your data determines how far it can go. And that confidence—research integrity—doesn’t just come from good intentions. It comes from robust systems.

Too often, we treat integrity as a people issue. We focus on protocols, training, or maybe ethics. All important. But after decades working with labs of every size and discipline, I’ve seen something else at play: when your systems are fragmented, your integrity is at risk—even when your people do everything right.

In many labs, data still lives across a messy patchwork of systems—an ELN here, a spreadsheet there, paper records in a binder. Teams copy and paste data across platforms, version control becomes guesswork, and no one’s quite sure what the “final” version is.

When an auditor asks for proof of compliance or a collaborator needs to validate results, you realize how much depends on assumed knowledge and goodwill. And when people move on, or mistakes surface, the fragility of those systems becomes painfully clear.

That’s why I believe system integrity is the backbone of research integrity—and why connected lab platforms are no longer a nice-to-have, but a scientific necessity.

When systems undermine science

Research integrity doesn’t fail all at once. It erodes quietly, through disconnected point solutions, manual data transfer and systems that were never designed to work together.

I’ve walked into labs with world-class researchers using cutting-edge instrumentation—only to find their data pipelines held together with nothing more than good intentions. It’s not because they don’t care. It’s because the systems around them haven’t kept pace with the demands of modern science.

Disconnected platforms; siloed ELNs, standalone LIMS, inventory tools that don’t talk to safety systems—all create invisible fault lines. Data gets duplicated or lost. Metadata goes missing. It becomes impossible to trace the full lifecycle of a sample or reconstruct the context behind a result.

And when that happens, the consequences are real. Reproducibility suffers. Internal reviews stall. Regulatory submissions take longer and carry more risk. Worse still, you lose confidence—not just in your systems, but in the science itself.

For organizations working in regulated environments, the stakes are even higher. Incomplete audit trails, missing version histories, or informal approvals can mean non-compliance, rejected submissions, or reputational damage.

These aren’t edge cases. They’re everyday realities in labs that haven’t yet joined up their data infrastructure. And they represent a quiet threat to the very thing science depends on most: trust.

What research integrity actually looks like

Too often, research integrity gets framed as either a matter of ethics or a matter of compliance—something enforced through training or checked off in audits. But in real-world lab environments, it comes down to something more fundamental: can your infrastructure support consistent, trustworthy science?

That infrastructure isn’t just software. It’s the entire operational system that governs how data is generated, recorded, shared, and reviewed. It includes your ELN, LIMS, EHS system, instrument integrations, user permissions, approval chains, and how all of those components interact.

In labs with strong system integrity, research integrity is built-in. You don’t have to rely on memory, trust, or double-checking a spreadsheet—because the process itself ensures traceability, reproducibility and control at every step.

Here’s what it looks like in practice:

• Protocols are version-controlled and digitally signed by authorized users

• Sample records are automatically linked to test results, instruments, and reagents used

• Every action is timestamped and traceable across users and systems

• Permissions and role-based access prevent accidental edits or data leaks

• Metadata—like experiment conditions or instrument settings—is captured automatically, not added after the fact

It’s about more than preventing fraud. It’s about preventing drift—those subtle gaps between what was planned, what was done, and what gets reported. When those gaps widen, reproducibility breaks down. When they close, trust scales.

And this matters whether you’re running a small academic group or a global R&D program. Because sooner or later, someone outside your team—an auditor, a collaborator, a regulator—will ask: can we rely on this data?

Research integrity means being able to say “yes”, and being able to show it, systemically. That’s exactly what we’re building at SciSure: a connected home base for the lab where trust, traceability, and transparency aren’t bolted on—they’re built in.

The value of system integrity

Research integrity is often treated as an outcome—as something measured by reproducibility, accuracy or audit success. But behind all those metrics is a more foundational truth: you can’t deliver research integrity unless your systems are built to support it.

This is where system integrity comes in. It’s not about individual tools. It’s about how your tools work together to preserve the full lifecycle of your data: generation, approval, storage, access and re-use.

Labs with strong system integrity can trace every data point back to its origin—who captured it, how it was reviewed, and where it’s stored. Their workflows don’t rely on individuals to go the extra mile; they’re embedded in the platform. And when regulations evolve or new technologies are introduced, those systems adapt, because they were designed with change in mind.

System integrity isn’t an add-on—it’s the architecture. And in our experience, when you get that right, research integrity stops being a problem you fix—and starts being something you can trust.

Turning risky into resilient

Disconnected systems don’t just slow things down—they erode confidence. When your ELN, LIMS, EHS system and instrument data all live in separate silos, the gaps between them become places where integrity fails: a missing sample ID, an overwritten protocol, a spreadsheet with no owner.

That’s why connected platforms are so essential—not just for operational efficiency, but for resilience. When systems are joined up, workflows become transparent. Data becomes trustworthy. Compliance becomes routine, not reactive.

At SciSure, we’ve built our Scientific Management Platform (SMP) around that principle. It brings together the critical building blocks of research management—ELN, LIMS, EHS, inventory, sample tracking, regulatory workflows and audit logs—into one coherent, cloud-native environment.

Within the SMP, system integrity is more than a principle—it’s a set of connected capabilities designed to make compliance and reproducibility seamless. That includes:

• Automated sample lineage tracking across collection, processing, and storage

• Embedded compliance checkpoints aligned with 21 CFR Part 11, GxP, and ISO 17025

• Configurable approval chains with full digital audit trails

• A unified environment where ELN, LIMS, and EHS modules speak the same language

• Scalable SDK-based integration, allowing labs to evolve without losing traceability

But just as importantly, the SMP isn’t rigid. Every lab works differently. That’s why we offer both a growing library of ready-to-use integrations and a developer Software Development Toolkit that supports custom workflows, instrument integrations and data pipelines. You’re not stuck working around the platform—you shape it around how your lab already works.

And when your systems are this connected, integrity becomes effortless. You’re no longer relying on tribal knowledge to chase down files or verify data lineage. It’s all there—verifiable, reproducible and ready to stand up to scrutiny.

Research resilience starts here. Not with good intentions or paper-based processes, but with infrastructure that’s designed to make trust scalable.

Research integrity is in your hands

Research integrity isn’t just about what happens at the bench—it’s about what happens behind the scenes. The tools, the workflows, the handoffs, the audit trails. If those systems are fragile, no amount of rigor at the surface can compensate for what’s missing underneath.

That’s why integrity has to start at the system level. When your infrastructure supports consistency, traceability and compliance by default, research integrity becomes scalable. Defensible. Repeatable. It becomes a property of your lab—not just the people in it.

At SciSure, we believe that good science needs good systems. And we’ve built our platform to help labs create the kind of environment where integrity thrives—now and in the future.

If you’re serious about protecting the trustworthiness of your research, start by asking: do your systems support the science you stand behind?

Ready to future-proof your lab’s integrity? Contact us to see how SciSure can help you unlock the system your science deserves.

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Lab operations is a job of countless moving parts. You’re the one who gets the 6 a.m. message about a broken freezer. The one answering late emails about missing reagents. The one tracking down overdue chemical inventory reports. It’s you that’s stuck in the middle—trying to keep scientists on-track, keep EHS happy, and still hit the goals set from administration.

And here’s the truth: your job isn’t one job. It’s twenty. You’re part scientist, part problem solver, part safety officer, equipment coordinator, procurement specialist, compliance tracker—and yes, firefighter. Every day. All the time.

I’ve talked with enough LabOps leaders to know that “multitasking” doesn’t even begin to cover it. One of the first questions I ask when I meet someone in LabOps is: How many hats do you wear? And without fail, they just laugh—or roll their eyes. Because they already know the answer: Too many.

One person recently told me, “If I could just take off one hat—just one—I’d be so much more valuable to my scientists.” That stuck with me. Because it speaks to a deeper truth about your role: you’re the operational engine behind the lab, the one keeping the science moving, the one making sure research doesn’t stall. And yet? You’re often unable to get to the work that moves the needle. 

You’re expected to be the glue—to bind together scientists, EHS, vendors, facilities, IT, and more—but no one’s provided you the tools to actually hold it all together. That’s not your fault. That’s the system’s fault.

We’ve normalized the dysfunction

Most labs I walk into are juggling an eye-watering number of systems: There’s an app for inspections. A training matrix spreadsheet. A cloud drive for ordering. A digital binder for SDS sheets that hasn’t been updated in months. Someone’s still logging chemicals in an Excel sheet. And yet—everyone’s expected to operate like a high-performance team.

Scientists are in their own zone, focused on getting experiments done. EHS is off in theirs, trying to ensure safety and regulatory coverage without full visibility into the data they need to be audit ready. LabOps are often the one caught in the middle, expected to make all of it work. We’ve been sold the idea that this fragmented ecosystem is normal. That cobbling together ten tools and calling it “digital transformation” is just the cost of doing science.

But it’s not normal. It’s just the status quo—and it’s broken.

We don’t need more complexity. We need operational simplicity.

In biopharma, there’s a buzzword that’s been floating around for years: “operational excellence”. You see it in slide decks. Hear it in strategy meetings. Entire departments are built around chasing it.

But I’ll be honest—when I see the typical roadmap for getting there, my eyes glaze over. Not because it isn’t well-intentioned. But because it’s built for a world where you’ve got unlimited time, a dozen project managers, and years to transform your systems. 

That’s not the world LabOps lives in. Most labs don’t need “excellence”, they need something that works today. That’s why, at SciSure, we’re championing something new: operational simplicity. And we’ve created the first platform that actually delivers it—end to end. We’re not here to add another tool to the pile. We’re here to replace the pile with something built from the ground up for the people who actually use it.

The Scientific Management Platform (SMP) is a first-of-its-kind system that unites scientists, LabOps, and EHS under one roof. Not as users of the same tool, but as collaborators inside a shared ecosystem. Forged from a strategic merger between two trusted leaders—eLabNext, known for its ELN and LIMS software, and SciShield, respected for EHS, biosafety, and chemical safety solutions—we’re working hard to deliver something no one else had the conviction to do:

A true end-to-end solution. A home base for the entire scientific organization.

• One login. One interface. One system that links research, inventory, safety, compliance, and regulatory reporting.
• Intuitive dashboards for scientists, EHS, and LabOps—tailored to what they need.
• Built-in safety and compliance workflows—no chasing, no bolt-ons, no “oops, we forgot to do the training”.
• A modular design that lets you adopt what you need today—and expand when you're ready.

With the SMP, you're not logging in and out of 10 tools. You're not re-entering data or transcribing between systems that can’t talk to each other. You’re not cobbling together workarounds just to make your lab function. You're simply working. Confidently. Transparently. Collaboratively.

And that’s the power of operational simplicity: it gives you control. Control over your workflows. Control over your data. Control over your time. In a world that’s constantly changing—funding shifts, regulatory updates, staffing turnover—you can’t control the chaos. But you can control the controllables. That’s what SciSure is here to help you do.

Our goal at SciSure isn’t to force everyone into the same workflow. It’s to connect their silos in a way that makes sense—so that LabOps doesn’t have to be the translator, or the buffer, or the one who copies data from one system to another.

Scientists want to work in their environment. EHS needs reliable data. LabOps needs visibility across both. We’re building SciSure to make that possible—to let everyone do their job well, while ensuring they’re connected in the background where it counts.

From chasing problems to preventing them

I’ve heard it time and time again: LabOps lives in reactive mode. You’re running from one task to the next, never quite catching up, always reacting. There’s no space to think ahead—let alone optimize, strategize, or innovate. But when you give LabOps the right tools, everything changes.

Suddenly, you’ve got real-time dashboards that tell you what’s overdue, what’s at risk, and what’s just around the corner. You get automatic reminders for training, inspections, and compliance updates—not frantic emails the day before something’s due. Instead of cross-checking three systems to figure out who’s behind on chemical inventory, you can see the status in a single view. You stop wondering if your data is current. You know it is.

Reporting becomes fast and confident. MAQs, CFATS, flammables—the kind of documentation that used to take hours now takes minutes, because it’s all built in. No more guesswork. No more copy-paste. And with threshold-based alerts tied to real hazard data, you're not just catching problems. You're preventing them.

But here’s the part I love the most—it changes how you think. Instead of dreading the next audit, you’re ready for it. Instead of catching issues downstream, you’re preventing them upstream. Instead of getting pulled in every direction, you’re setting the direction. That’s the shift we’re creating with SciSure. And it’s not hypothetical—it’s happening right now in labs just like yours.

Time to rethink chemical inventory

Ask anyone in LabOps what drains the most time, and chemical inventory will be near the top. Not because it’s difficult—but because it’s disconnected. Updates get lost. SDSs live in silos. Reports are always a scramble. We’ve built SciSure to turn that burden into a strategic lever.

With SciSure, chemical inventory tasks that used to take hours now take minutes. As soon as a chemical is added to inventory, you know which hazards apply and what regulations are relevant, even going as far as automatically adding it to your regulatory reports. One team we worked with used to spend nearly three full days reconciling chemical inventory across their site. After switching to SciSure, they were done in thirty minutes. Another cut data correction time from seventeen hours per month down to under two minutes. When you scale these time savings across dozens of people, across hundreds of tasks, those minutes and costs add up fast.

We recently looked at data from 32 customer sites to understand the real impact of transforming chemical inventory workflows. Here’s a snapshot of what LabOps and EHS teams are actually gaining back:

Table 1: Time savings reported across 32 SciSure customer sites

But the real value isn’t just speed. It’s confidence. When inventory connects to hazard profiles, to training requirements, to reporting and procurement—you’re not just checking boxes. You’re running a safer, more accountable lab. And you’re giving scientists and EHS teams shared data they can trust.

Flexibility and extendibility built around you. 

SciSure doesn’t pretend to be everything for everyone. We know labs are complex. We know preferences vary. That’s why we built our SciSure Marketplace of integrations to be open and extensible.

Let’s say you already have a scheduling tool your scientists love. Great. Don’t toss it—integrate it. Or maybe your team uses a specific vendor for procurement or equipment monitoring. Perfect—bring them in.

Our Marketplace is designed to let you work the way you want. It’s an open ecosystem where trusted third parties—including some of our own competitors—can plug directly into the SciSure platform. Why? Because we believe that as a scientific community, we are “better together”. Because if it makes your workflow smoother, if it saves your team time, and if it helps scientists get back to the work that matters, then we’ll make room. That’s how serious we are about interoperability.

As one of our Marketplace Partners put it:

“Our integration with SciSure allows scientists, LabOps, and EHS to view critical data in one seamless place. It means labs can proactively monitor environmental conditions and respond instantly to deviations that could compromise valuable samples.”
- Sridhar Iyengar, Founder and CSTO, Elemental Machines

Some of our customers have even started building their own integrations. One group created a fully custom equipment scheduler inside SciSure using our developer tools. No vendor lock-in. No workarounds. Just functionality that fits the way they operate.

That’s what flexibility should look like. Because you’re not here to serve the system. The system should serve you.

Let’s stop fixing what’s broken. Let’s build what works.

The truth is, LabOps shouldn’t have to hustle this hard just to hold the lab together. Scientists shouldn’t be buried in admin. EHS shouldn’t have to chase compliance.

And you? You shouldn’t be the translator between teams and tools that were never built to align in the first place.

That’s why we created SciSure. Not as a patch, but as a true home base. A unified foundation for modern labs—one that connects your people, your processes, and your purpose. Because the science matters. And so do the people and patients behind it.

Let’s make it easier to do the work that matters most. Let’s give LabOps their time, their tools, and their voice back. You’re not the problem. The system is.

Let’s fix it--together.

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Cambridge, MA — July 10, 2025 — SciSure, formerly SciShield and eLabNext, is proud to announce the formal sponsorship of The Engine, a nonprofit founded by MIT to  incubate and accelerate early-stage Tough Tech companies from idea to impact. This sponsorship marks the next step in a partnership rooted in a shared mission: helping startups accelerate the development of life-changing technologies, treatments, and healthcare solutions.

SciSure was recently formed from the merger of SciShield and eLabNext. Both companies were longtime partners of The Engine: For years, SciShield supported The Engine with environmental health and safety (EHS) and compliance infrastructure, while eLabNext powered the digital backbone of many resident companies. Now, by joining forces, SciShield and eLabNext are expanding their support—giving Tough Tech entrepreneurs connected access to the critical digital tools, compliance frameworks, and operational resources they need to scale and succeed.

"We’ve seen firsthand how important the right infrastructure is for Tough Tech startups to reach the market," said Jon Zibell, VP of Global Alliances and Marketing for SciSure "By deepening our partnership with The Engine, we’re making it easier for innovators to focus on what matters most—delivering breakthroughs that have a lasting impact on society."

“Given the fact that science is moving more and more towards Tough Tech and Tech Bio (as in technology-first, using advanced computational tools like AI, ML, cloud, and data engineering), it is so important to be able to create an API/SDK-Powered ecosystem for scientists that know that we can support their platforms, automation, and scalability.” said Zareh Zurabyan, VP of Commercial, Americas for SciSure. 

Through this enhanced partnership, The Engine’s resident companies will gain:

• Integrated Digital Operations: Access to eLabNext’s Digital Lab Platform (DLP), combining ELN, LIMS, lab automation, and compliance tracking into one connected system.
• Built-in EHS and Compliance Support: SciShield’s platform ensures startups meet regulatory standards from day one, reducing risk and saving time.
• Early Access Incentives: Special access to tailored onboarding, incentives, and ongoing support for adopting SciShield and eLabNext solutions. 
• Best-in-Class Software: A full suite of software solutions for Scientists, LabOps, and EHS to ensure the highest probability of achieving commercial success and making a lasting impact.
• Education and Collaboration: New opportunities for startups to participate in co-hosted workshops, hands-on training, and knowledge-sharing sessions on lab digitalization, safety, and compliance.

“For years, SciSchield and eLabNext have provided critical infrastructure and resources to fuel the growth of our residents,” said Alexa Monti, Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships at The Engine. “We are now thrilled to welcome their sponsorship as SciSure. Partnerships like this are essential to building a resilient innovation ecosystem that enables founders to transform breakthrough ideas into world-changing impact.”

About The Engine:

The Engine is a nonprofit incubator and accelerator dedicated to supporting early-stage Tough Tech companies tackling the world's greatest challenges. Founded by MIT in 2016, The Engine provides critical support for Tough Tech companies in the form of specialized lab and fabrication infrastructure, programming and mentorship, and an ecosystem of experts and investors. By bridging the gap between groundbreaking ideas and real-world impact, The Engine plays a crucial role in advancing solutions to complex global issues. For more information, visit engine.xyz

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Media Contact: 

press@engine.xyz

Media Contact:

Jon Zibell
Vice President of Global Alliances & Marketing
‍J.Zibell@scisure.com

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