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Over the past few decades, laboratory structures have shifted from rigid, single-research group spaces to increasingly flexible setups. Driven by the push for more cross-disciplinary research, this transformation has been marked by the emergence of shared lab spaces. These spaces present several advantages over traditional, single-group spaces, including their cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and collaborative nature, with added benefits to users, such as the availability of high-caliber equipment and networking opportunities.
Unsurprisingly, shared lab spaces are becoming increasingly popular among scientists and decision-makers in academia, industry, and biotech, though remaining challenges pose a barrier to their broader adoption and reception by some researchers. Such challenges include overcrowding, scheduling, and equipment access. Recently, portable devices have begun to emerge as a potential solution, acting as cost-effective, practical alternatives to traditional large, costly, stationary pieces of lab equipment. Handheld versions of everyday-use devices such as plate readers, cell counters, and semi-automated pipetting systems, are likely to become essential components of these shared spaces, enabling researchers to conduct experiments with greater flexibility and in varied locations.
Here, we will further explore the shift towards shared lab spaces, what this means for modern researchers, and how portable equipment can help optimize research in shared labs.
