The case for lab management systems

Digitisation and electronics are increasingly eclipsing traditional methods – and it’s easy to miss the opportunity by refusing to get on board. Today, major chemical companies routinely use electronic lab notebooks, while universities and other institutions have lagged behind and are only now starting to follow suit. While bodies such as the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council have made some positive steps by allocating funding into mid-range facilities which can help make better use of scientific instruments, universities still face the balance of an ever increasing strain on resources and the need to keep on top of cutting-edge research in order to attract essential industrial funding.