Primary Research Group has published The Survey of Best Practices in Biological & Medical Laboratory Management, ISBN 978-1-57440-231-5.

The 130+ page study is based on data from more than 20 major universities, biotechnology firms and other major institutions involved in bio-medical research. The report gives extensive data on the use of in-house or outsourcing solutions for gene sequencing, laboratory animal management, DNA preparation, and pathological analysis. It gives detailed data on lab environmental and personal security issues, equipment spending, equipment sharing within institutions, trends in the availability of funds for lab and IT equipment, efficiency of equipment support, installation and maintenance, quality of training on new equipment and software, and ease of applying for funding and paying vendors.

In addition, the report also looks at lab personnel salaries and benefits, overhead, materials and other factors in the laboratory cost structure. It also pinpoints sources of founds, such as the percentage of laboratory funds derived from the parent institution budget vs. funds supplied through outside grants and also examines the funding outlook from all sources. The report presents staffing data on the ratio of scientists to technicians and administrators, and even the number of custodial, clerical and security staff. Also included is data on how laboratories document experiments, how they negotiate with suppliers and how they integrate laboratory management systems and other information technology into laboratory management, including detailed data on the stock of various kinds of computers maintained.

The study also looks at the day-to-day issues of communicating with building or facility management, invoice payment, lab technician hiring and training practices and other such issues.

Just a few of the report's many findings are that:

• 47.83% of labs in the sample outsource the housing and feeding of lab animals
• Just more than half of all survey participants (12 of 23) say the lab's parent organization or university has at least a good overall performance in terms of supporting the lab in funding needed lab equipment and information technology
• 43.48% of survey participants say their parent organization has a "mixed record" when it comes to repair and maintenance support of the lab's equipment and information technology
• Median total spending for instruments and equipment for labs with less than 10 employees is 15% of total lab spending, while the median for those labs with 10 or more employees is 25%
• Animal and biological materials accounted for a mean of 10.83% of the costs of the laboratories in the sample
• 8.7% of the laboratories in the sample rated their funding outlook as "poor" or "dire"
• Scientists handle the installation of laboratory equipment for nearly 80% of survey participants
• Only 4.35% of the labs in the sample purchase much of their equipment through a consortium
• 81.82% of labs in the sample with 10 or more employees say they pretty much have "complete freedom" to conduct their own hiring, as compared to just 36.36% of labs with less than 10 employees

The report is available in print and PDF format for $169.00. Site licenses cost $389.00. To view a table of contents, list of participants, and sample data, or to order a copy of the report, please visit our website at www.PrimaryResearch.com.