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Explore every episode of the podcast New Matter: Inside the Minds of SLAS Scientists

Dive into the complete episode list for New Matter: Inside the Minds of SLAS Scientists. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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TitlePub. DateDuration
Revolutionizing Lab Productivity: How AI and Unified Data Platforms Drive Scientific Innovation (Sponsored by Sapio Sciences)11 Nov 202400:25:45

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In this special episode, Sapio Sciences Vice President Product and Pre-Sales Rob Brown, M.Sc., Ph.D., speaks with SLAS Scientific Director Lesley Mathews, Ph.D., to discuss how AI, large language models and a unified data platform revolutionize scientific informatics. Rob explains the benefits of a single data object and unified platform that streamlines data analysis and integrates seamlessly with lab equipment.

Sapio's virtual assistant, ELaiN®, leverages natural language for more efficient lab workflows, allowing scientists to focus on complex tasks. The conversation highlights Sapio's mission to improve patient outcomes by enhancing scientists' productivity through innovative software solutions.

Key Learning Points:

  • The benefits of using a single data object as a source of truth for sample data
  • How Sapio's platform incorporates large language models (LLMs) to automate tasks and facilitate natural language interactions
  • Ways to boost efficiency and productivity by integrating AI, data science and equipment handling compared to using separate solutions


About Sapio Sciences:
Sapio Sciences' mission is to improve lives by accelerating discovery, and because science is complex, Sapio makes technology simple. Sapio is a global business offering an all-in-one science-aware (TM) lab informatics platform combining cloud-based LIMS, ELN, and Jarvis data solutions.

Visit sapiosciences.com to learn more.

Stay connected with SLAS:

About SLAS
SLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building. 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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SLAS Europe 2024 | Interviews with Tony B. Travel Award Winners28 Oct 202400:19:21

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SLAS Scientific Director Lesley Mathews, Ph. D., speaks with several winners of our Tony B. Travel Award who presented at the SLAS Europe 2024 Conference and Exhibition.

Congratulations to our winners!
(Listed in interview order)

Shitanshu Devrani, Ph.D. (University of Gothenburg)
An Automated High-Throughput Platform for AI-Guided Development of Nanopore Membrane Biosensors and Real-time Edge Processing, Demonstrated with Wilson's Disease Sample Verification

Leticia Manen, Ph.D. (Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute)
Harnessing Drug Metabolites In Precision Medicine: Deeping into antineoplastic’s major metabolites polypharmacology

Joel Sanchez Barea, Ph.D. Candidate (Incheon National University)
Multiplexed detection of single-point mutations in human serum by integrating Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering with Polymerase Chain Reaction.

What is the Tony B. Travel Award?
This annual travel grant program provides funding for the SLAS International Conference and Exhibition and the SLAS Europe Conference and Exhibition for students, graduate students, post-doctoral associates, and junior faculty with less than four years in their first academic appointments.  

Visit our Student Resources to learn more about these awards.

Stay connected with SLAS

SLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building.  For more information about SLAS, visit www.slas.org.

SLAS publishes two peer-reviewed and MEDLINE-indexed scientific journals, SLAS Discovery and SLAS Technology. For more information about SLAS and its journals, visit slas.org

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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Accessibility in the Lab | Embracing Identity and Authenticity with Ramisa Fariha (Sponsored by Benchling)20 Feb 202400:50:20

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Ramisa Fariha, Ph.D. student at Brown University, joins Hannah to discuss her experiences and perspectives on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) issues in the lab. 

Ramisa shares her professional journey from Bangladesh to the United States and discusses how her various identities — including gender, race and religious background— have influenced her interactions and perceptions.

The conversation sheds light on the challenges individuals with intersecting identities face in navigating societal expectations and organizational structures, highlighting the importance of creating inclusive environments that accommodate diverse experiences and perspectives.

Additionally, she shares insights into her upcoming book, "What the Fari," which explores her journey from adversity to resilience and the importance of unapologetically being oneself.

Full Transcript Available on Buzzsprout

Our Sponsor for this Episode
Benchling creates the software that powers the biotechnology industry. More than 200,000 scientists at over 1,200 companies globally —  from cutting-edge start-ups to 20+ of the 50 largest global biopharma — rely on the Benchling R&D Cloud as their central source of truth for scientific data, analysis, and collaboration. Benchling is on a mission to accelerate scientific progress through advanced software that's purpose-built for biology.

To learn more,  visit: Benchling.com

Stay connected with SLAS

About SLAS
SLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building. 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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Bio Convergence Revolution29 Apr 202100:15:16

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On this episode we discuss the importance of bio convergence and how CELLINK Is looking at all the areas that lead to greater discovery in biology. Paul Berning shares with us their excitement at the development of an automation system designed to minimize labor-intensive processes and maximize efficiency within cell line development. As so many companies have, CELLINK had to pivot their work with the onset of the pandemic, and they are proud of how they developed successful solutions to build and strengthen products and relationships. 

 CELLINK is a SLAS2021 New Product Award winner for UP.SIGHT by Cytena.

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

View the full events calendar

Lab Automation, High-throughput Screening, Microfluidics, Single Cell Analysis... Oh My! 27 Apr 202100:15:15

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Continuing on with the discussion on drug resistance in cancer treatment Ming Yao joins Marshall to share the tissue culture device that he helped to develop to better study drug response to tumor cells.  With an engineering background, when Ming started his graduate degree he had to take a crash course in biology and cell culture, which caused him to fall in love with science. Future researchers, keep an eye out for Ming, one day he'll be running his own lab and will need research assistants!

 Ming is a Tony B. Awardee and Innovation Award Finalist from SLAS2021 Digital. 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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Scaling up the Universal Design19 Apr 202100:16:28

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Did you know that Montreal has the second largest population of PhDs in the world? No? Well this Montreal startup is inspired by the innovations brought forth in the city. CEO of Ananda Devices Margaret Magdesian's goal is to automate neuronal testing and accelerate the development of new compounds and to reduce use of animals by 90%. 

 Ananda Devices is a biotech company offering proprietary high throughput cellular and tissue nano-organization technology to accelerate R&D in pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic (PFC) industries and was a Innovation AveNEW company and SLAS Ignite Award finalist at SLAS2021 Digital

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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Leading Across Difference12 Apr 202100:43:40

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SLAS recently brought Raven Solomon (a global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion thought leader) in to talk to the professional team about unconscious bias. She made such a huge impact on us that we had to bring her in to talk again to our broader New Matter audience. 

Raven talks to Marshall and returning guest host Karlton Moore about helping organizations get future ready by understanding generational and racial equity. They discuss the need to make spaces more equitable and more inclusive for everyone. What does it mean to find common ground? How do you rumble with unconscious bias? Listen in and learn what a "Led Language" is, strategies to have real conversations and to take a stand to enact change, and how to find common ground and navigate diversity, inclusion, and equity. 

It isn't easy. It takes time. But, as Raven reminds us, Rome wasn't built in a day and she has so much that give her hope as we move toward a greater culture of inclusion and equity. So, how do we become more inclusive? 

Just start. 

 
Want to learn more about Raven? Check out: 

Interested in learning more about your unconscious biases? Take these awesome Harvard implicit association tests

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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Brain In A Dish07 Apr 202100:12:36

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Sebastien Mosser comes to us to tell us how Neurix SA is working to reduce animal and animal tissue use in scientific research. Neurix is creating organoids that simulate brain tissue for compound screening and neuroscience research.  Sebastian describes how they adapted their techniques and their platform to help with COVID-19 related tests. 

 Neurix SA was a Innovation AveNEW company at SLAS2021 Digital. 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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The Next Generation05 Apr 202100:13:39

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Stefan Schneider is engaged in the development and application of novel organ-on-a-chip systems, a relatively novel and exciting research focus. He shares with Marshall the enabling advances that allowed him to accomplish this work. What is the most exciting application of organ on a chip? Listen and find out! 

 Stefan is a Tony B. Awardee and Innovation Award Finalist from SLAS2021 Digital. 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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FRET and BRET-based Thermostability Assays31 Mar 202100:13:26

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 What is the difference between ThermoFRET and BRET-Based  techniques? 
David Sykes (The University of Nottingham) provides us with a cheat sheet for which problems these techniques are best suited. Listen in as his passion for discovery and solving problems (and his stimulating work with Sir James Black) steers his career path forward.

David is an SLAS2021 Digital Tony B. Award and Student Poster Award Winner

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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Curiosity Built In Me29 Mar 202100:12:55

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Why it is important to be curious for the sake of curiosity? Pouria Rafsanjani Nejad (University of Akron) tells us what he thinks. He  talks to Marshall about the problems with cancer therapeutics, and how to cure patients without causing bigger problems along the way.  Follow him along his path from building model cars to reframing the problem of biology for himself through the study of biomedical engineering. And as Marshall states so adamantly, SLAS lives for the nerds like Pouria; they are out past, present, and future leaders in science! 

 Pouria is an SLAS2021 Tony B. Award Winner

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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At the Touch of Your Screen24 Mar 202100:14:46

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Claudio Rolli visits today from FLUICS GmbH which is working on sustainable sample tracking for research labs. They have developed an online label maker and its correlating mobile app which turns your mobile device or tablet into a barcode scanner and label maker that are directly connected to an online inventory database. Claudio and his co-founders want to eliminate the traditional personal frustrations in labs, such as searching for samples, trying to maintain uncountable excel lists for inventory management, and hunting through lab notebooks to track back and reconstruct samples and reagents used in experiments.  

 FLUICS GmbH was a Innovation AveNEW company at SLAS2021 Digital. 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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The Future of Precision Medicine22 Mar 202100:13:29

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Astha Lamichhane is a Tony B. Awardee from SLAS2021 Digital and is researching the underlying reasons for why some drugs work on cancer treatment some don't. What is it about a persons individual genomes that resist some treatments, and how can we solve that at the cellular level? Hear about Astha's most exciting professional accomplishment and where she wants to go once she has finished her degree. 


SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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Career Trajectories | The Science of Start-Ups with Stefan Lukianov, M.S. (Sponsored by Benchling)05 Feb 202400:35:53

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Salve Therapeutics Founder and CEO Stefan Lukianov, M.S., joins us to share his intriguing journey from childhood aspirations to his current role in the biotech startup scene!

The episode starts with a lighthearted exploration of Stefan's childhood dreams, from wanting to be an archaeologist to briefly considering a career as a disc jockey. However, science remained a consistent interest, sparked by a memorable G.I. Joe episode that introduced him to the world of DNA.

Stefan shares insights into the unique dynamics of managing people in a startup environment, highlighting the challenges of enforcing accountability and setting job roles. He reflects on the self-selection process within the team, where those aligned with the venture's vision naturally emerged as active contributors.

Full Transcript Available on Buzzsprout

Our Sponsor for this Episode
Benchling creates the software that powers the biotechnology industry. More than 200,000 scientists at over 1,200 companies globally —  from cutting-edge start-ups to 20+ of the 50 largest global biopharma — rely on the Benchling R&D Cloud as their central source of truth for scientific data, analysis, and collaboration. Benchling is on a mission to accelerate scientific progress through advanced software that's purpose-built for biology.

To learn more,  visit: Benchling.com

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About SLAS
SLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building. 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

View the full events calendar

Espresso Machine for DNA17 Mar 202100:16:47

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Kilobaser GmbH has developed a microfluidics based and cartridge based DNA synthesizer. It is  designed to let researchers synthesize DNA right in the lab. Think about it like being able to make your favourite espresso right in house instead of running to the barista down the street. So, what is  so special about their synthesizer? Alexander Murer joins us to share exactly what.  Listen in to find out!

Kilobaser GmbH was a Innovation AveNEW company at SLAS2021 Digital. 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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Like Recipes in a Kitchen 15 Mar 202100:17:02

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LabVoice connects the scientist to the lab through voice assistance. This is not just an Alexa for the lab, it is much more than that! Hear Dan DeAlmeida explain the secret sauce of how LabVoice  integrates with your existing lab infrastructure and helps you execute your tasks.  

 LabVoice was a Innovation AveNEW company at SLAS2021 Digital. 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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The Importance of Science and Health10 Mar 202100:13:51

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Evan Hegarty started out in helping human disease in Alzheimer's and moved his way up to co-found Newormics. Newormics offers toxicology services using their advanced microfluidic devices for high-throughput and high-content screening of small animal models and 3D tissue organoids. Evan talks about their exciting new project in testing a full chemical library of known toxicities from the NIH. Their goal is to reduce animal testing by using their technology, which will be a huge accomplishment. Almost as big as playing a show for over 20 thousand people in Austin with his band. ;) 

If you missed it, check out their webinar on their early uses of their technology. 

Newormics is a SLAS2021 Ignite Award finalist and participated in Innovation AveNEW at SLAS2021 Digital. 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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Mid-Brain Organoids08 Mar 202100:07:43

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Jens Schwamborn and his company OrganoTherapeutics is using their technology (human-specific mini-brains)  to treat Parkinson's. He walks Marshall through how they grew their young company through the time of a global pandemic and the opportunities they made from it to use their technology to support research in therapies related to SARS COV 2.  

 OrganoTherapuetics is a SLAS2021 New Product Award winner and an  participated in Innovation AveNEW at SLAS2021 Digital. 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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From Art Form to Practice 03 Mar 202100:13:11

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2021 SLAS Fellowship Winner David McIntyre, from the Densmore Lab at Boston University, is automating the design of microfluidics through rapid prototyping and machine learning for use in screening synthetic biological systems. Coming from Silicon Valley, David was exposed to science and tech from an early age, and spurred his desire to accelerate biological research. Listen in to hear about his most exciting accomplishments and the new and projects his lab has coming down the pike.




SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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Turning the Scientific Method into an Art Form 01 Mar 202100:18:14

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How do you enable labs to easily leverage equipment and people so they can automate their experiments? Artificial's Chief Product Officer Nikhita Singh joins New Matter today to tell us how Artificial's aLab Suite brings together scientists and automation engineers to do just that.  She also shares about their recent win of the SLAS Ignite Award and participation in Innovation AveNEW.  

The SLAS Ignite Award is sponsored by the Pistoia Alliance President's Startup Challenge and Artificial will attend their final challenge in October 2021.   

 Want to learn more about Artificial, Innovation AveNew, and what SLAS does for startups? Join our Ignite Showcase on March 2nd at 10am EST to learn more.  

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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Better Tools to Improve Science 22 Feb 202100:16:42

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Solentim is a SLAS2021 New Product Award Winner for ICON and they loaned us  Duncan Borthwick today to tell us how they are dedicated to listening to scientists to make better tools to improve science. Duncan shares how this quality assurance product company works on improving therapeutics by reducing variability. 


SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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Fascinated by life15 Feb 202100:19:50

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At SLAS2021  Sisi Chen (Caltech) was awarded the SLAS Innovation Award, honoring research that proved to be exceedingly innovative. In this episode of New Matter, Sisi talks more about her research in defining the breadth and specificity of drug response in heterogeneous immune cell populations.  Sisi shares more about her passions, her research, and her primordial early life bioengineering manifesto. 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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Think Science in Management 08 Feb 202100:24:55

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Julio Martin , a “playmaker scientist” with over 30 years of experience working in the pharmaceutical industry, shares his vision on better management of scientific organizations and labs. He emphasizes the need to create new patterns of order at the edge of chaos and relationships that are not top down. His blog, Sciengement Lab, is a great space for the exchange of ideas and scientific knowledge in management. Make sure to check it out! 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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Face to Face Direction01 Feb 202100:15:05

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 Advising. Visiting. Troubleshooting. Those are the keywords that describe Constanza Curotto's (Corning) day to day work. She joins Marshall and guest host  Marc Bickle (Max Planck Dresden) to discuss her winding road from Chile all the way to Amsterdam. She decided early on that she wanted to shift from hands on science to the business side of things. Since the forced incubation period that has come out of the current pandemic, Costanza and her colleagues are teaching themselves to be tech superstars in order to get valuable face to face interaction. 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

View the full events calendar

Career Trajectories | The Recipe for Continuous Career Growth with Rishi Mahajan, M.S. (Sponsored by Benchling)29 Jan 202400:31:45

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You may recognize him from the first episode in our "Lab of the Future" series: Rishi Mahajan, M.S., lead automation engineer at Regeneron, returns to the podcast to share his career story! 

Rishi shares his unconventional journey, from childhood with no clear career aspirations to becoming a seasoned automation engineer. He highlights his college major selection and how he navigated education challenges in India before pursuing his master's in biotechnology in the United States.

He later entered the world of lab research during his master's program, emphasizing the importance of internships and networking. He discusses the hurdles he faced, the role of networking in securing his internship at Regeneron, and the subsequent transition to a full-time position. 

Enjoy this advice-filled conversation addressing the power of networking, with Rishi providing practical tips for individuals, even introverts, to build meaningful connections. He emphasizes the casual nature of networking, the importance of genuine conversations and dispels the fear of making mistakes when reaching out to seasoned professionals.

Full Transcript Available on Buzzsprout

Our Sponsor for this Episode
Benchling creates the software that powers the biotechnology industry. More than 200,000 scientists at over 1,200 companies globally —  from cutting-edge start-ups to 20+ of the 50 largest global biopharma — rely on the Benchling R&D Cloud as their central source of truth for scientific data, analysis, and collaboration. Benchling is on a mission to accelerate scientific progress through advanced software that's purpose-built for biology.

To learn more,  visit: Benchling.com

Stay connected with SLAS

About SLAS
SLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building. 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

View the full events calendar

Thinking Like a Computer25 Jan 202100:15:12

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Dhash Shrivathsa drills down into what they do at Radix Labs. In response to the SLAS challenge he came up with Operating systems for biology labs, we cook software drugs. He talks about how Radix started off with a joke that went too far and evolved into making software for not software people. Learn about their new approach to the tools you already have and the philosophy of software.  His philosophy is that one of the best skills in life is thinking like a computer. 

 Check out Dhash's article about an operating system for the biology lab in Nature. 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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Helping Scientists Do More18 Jan 202100:19:13

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Marshall chats with Mike Tarselli about his birth on a planet far, far away to his rise as Chief Scientific Officer at TetraScience (a SLAS2021 Innovation AveNEW company). Mike discusses his winding journey starting as a pre-med major and eventually careening to his final path - a Ph.D. in Chemistry and the battle scars accumulated from the arduous path to completion. And then hitting the Great Recession! 

Mike shares his thoughts on the challenge of “Big Data” in life science R&D, from data generation, management, all the way to visualization, and what organizations at the forefront of discovery seek to gain from implementing holistic approaches to data automation. TetraScience, and the Tetra R&D Data Cloud, covers the full lifecycle of R&D data: from acquisition to harmonization, engineering, and downstream analysis with native support for state-of-the-art data science tools.

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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More About Our World14 Dec 202000:14:24

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Manuela Beil-Peter (Analytik Jena AG) didn't choose her career, it kind of evolved from her first love; languages. Hear how this SLAS board member hopes to help the community connect more and emphasize the journey of science and technology moving forward together. 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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Something Tangible 11 Dec 202000:13:49

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Mel Leveridge (GSK) shares her deep passion for biology and biochemistry with guest host Mario Richter (AbbVie). Listen to her extraordinary experience leading the establishment of a COVID19 testing center at Cambridge UK last year as part of the collaboration between GSK, AstraZeneca and the University of Cambridge, and her dedication to delivering science and technology to discover new medicines. Take a page from Mel's book and apply your love of science to something tangible and positive.


SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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Being a (Science) Cheerleader08 Dec 202000:21:54

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New SLAS Board Member Jan Lichtenberg join us this week to talk about the importance of communication and more to being successful in science. He walks us through the roller coaster ride that was developing his start up, InSphero, and one of their most exciting movements. What is it like rowing in the same boat as a bigger pharmaceutical company? Listen and find out! 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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A Natural Aptitude19 Nov 202000:19:57

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Rising SLAS Board Member Jonathan O'Connell is passionate about the future of SLAS.  He talks with guest host Karlton Moore (from Artel) about his career path and how certain choices shaped his future. Hear about his new company, Valo Health, which has just come out of stealth mode and is leveraging compute, AI and data to transform the drug discovery and development process; after all, the beauty of AI is that it can think multidimensional. Learn about how Jonathan created a career that combines his passion for science with his great interest in the power of technology, and what his dream car is. 

Warning: Man City fans- he's a Man U supporter! 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
  • Vienna, Austria

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Between a Rock and a 3D Place 16 Nov 202000:15:43

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What are the best ways to apply 3D organoid models and get the answers to what you need in the simplest way possible? Hilary Sherman (Corning) can tell you! She and guest host Annika Jenmalm Jensen (Karolinska Institutet) dip into different fields of research and the advantages to always getting to learn something new. Hear how she moved from a career in marine biology to cellular biology and how trying new things can often lead to a career path you never thought of. And when Hilary's not diving deep into different fields of research for Corning, you can be sure to find her pursuing her passion of rock climbing wherever she can. 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

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Global Connections 09 Nov 202000:19:00

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In this week's episode, guest host Andrew Napper, Vice President, Discovery Sciences at Evotec joins Zack Gurard-Levin Chief Scientific Officer at SAMDI Tech, Inc. Andrew and Zack discuss how high school chemistry sparked his interest in science and his work with SAMDI Tech helping companies solve challenging problems, and opening up avenues for networking and collaboration. Learn about what one of the best decisions of Zack’s life was and how to follow your passions and pursue what makes you happy in science.

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

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  • 19-21 May 2026
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Being the Lever02 Nov 202000:13:34

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Join special guest host Dr. Colin Cox (King of the Robots) and Dr. Lauren Shields as they discuss what is important to think about in terms of organic team building, how to persevere and focus in the field of science, and the pro-bono COVID projects Benchling is working on. Along the way learn about her start in science at a very young age and her amazing personal growth in the field since, as well how to have fun in the Bay area, especially when avoiding wildfires.

Check out the blog post from Benchling here!

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

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Going Vertical26 Oct 202000:19:36

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Robots never tire, and neither do we. Learn from Biosero CTO David Dambman about how a passion for software, repeatability, and impact on world health problems - plus side paths in radar and guitar equipment - led him to construct the Green Button Go™ Automation Scheduling Software integration layer atop the company's lab automation. We touch on how to make use of tight lab space, where the Cloud actually lives, and what David would do with a magic box to solve diagnostic problems. Push to start!

 

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Career Trajectories | Adapting to Automation Kalpesh Gupta, M.S. (Sponsored by Benchling)22 Jan 202400:23:16

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Our guest for this Career Trajectories episode is Kalpesh Gupta, M.S., Associate Director of Research Automation at Moderna. Kalpesh shares his journey from a childhood shaped by traditional career expectations in India to becoming a key player in laboratory automation at one of the world's leading biotech companies.

Kalpesh recounts the early years of working at Moderna and the company's unprecedented growth.  He also shares some of the challenges and rewards of being part of a company with a mission to impact global health, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kalpesh offers valuable advice to those considering a career in laboratory automation, emphasizing the importance of initiative and proactive learning. His thoughts on success, focusing on impact, continuous learning, and personal fulfillment, provide a thoughtful perspective on career achievements.

Full Transcript Available on Buzzsprout

Our Sponsor for this Episode
Benchling creates the software that powers the biotechnology industry. More than 200,000 scientists at over 1,200 companies globally —  from cutting-edge start-ups to 20+ of the 50 largest global biopharma — rely on the Benchling R&D Cloud as their central source of truth for scientific data, analysis, and collaboration. Benchling is on a mission to accelerate scientific progress through advanced software that's purpose-built for biology.

To learn more,  visit: Benchling.com

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About SLAS
SLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building. 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

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The Whole Immune Shebang19 Oct 202000:21:08

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 If being scientifically "bilingual" is important for today's careers, Imran Haque is a master linguist - he speaks data science, immunology, chemistry, and relates it all with a smile and enthusiasm. Join Mike and Imran as they discuss COVID-19 cytokine storms, GIGO, "unshackling" scientists by teaching them scripting languages, and how a cartoon genetics book influenced his amazing career.

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Notes From the Middle of the Night12 Oct 202000:11:27

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Professor Shaghayegh Harbi has been listening to lectures since she was in utero. She's been propelled forward by the need to shout from the rooftops about everything science: immune social networking, ethnically diverse transcriptomics, and her true central passion of teaching science to non-majors. Along the way, learn a bit about spotting trends, working in isolation, and being in the right places at correct times.

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Keep the Bad Bugs Out05 Oct 202000:17:11

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Have you ever worn a "personal fume hood" to do your lab work? If you're Lynn Rasmussen, and you're handling the worst viruses known to man, you would! Join Mike and Lynn as they discuss COVID, social distancing, the revelation of lab automation, and the biggest drug hunting organization you've never heard of - Southern Research (they've had 7 FDA-approved molecules!). Wear a mask and listen in.

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

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You Just Have to Start28 Sep 202000:15:20

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Join Merck's MJ Wildey - a 26-year member of our community - as she and Mike wax historic and celebrate SLAS's 10th anniversary. If you like to think of screening as an enabling science to open the doors to multiple disease treatments and new tech, this one's for you!

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

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Pharma in the Desert21 Sep 202000:26:53

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What happens when a linguist and a biomedical engineer partner up to teach computers how to "solve" drug discovery? What role do humans play once computers are calling the shots? Can a biotech community grow up around Salt Lake City? Drs. Lina Nilsson and Katherine Matsumoto join Mike to answer these questions and encourage you to get involved with their (free!) data sets to do your own modeling at rxrx.ai.

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

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Fleets of Robots14 Sep 202000:11:37

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A chance encounter with an ancient liquid handler in a dusty corner was all it took to propel Dr. Colin Cox into a life of robot wrangling. Join Colin and Mike as they discuss synthetic genes, reduction of "art" to "practice," being connected in the times of COVID-19, and why you should never binge-watch the Wizard of Oz. Millions of data points....without a team of 40. One man and a robot can rule the (biotech) world.

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Listen to Scientists07 Sep 202000:20:16

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SLAS Board President Emilio Diez-Monedero is on his third act of an amazingly impactful career - as a molecular biologist in academia, as an automation leader in pharmaceuticals, and now as a consultant and investor in small-stage rare disease companies. Join Mike and Emilio as they discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the scientific enterprise, how all jobs are global jobs, and which moments of professional inspiration led Emilio to his current calling. And, of course, how SLAS and its precursor organizations have been present throughout the myriad changes in life sciences over the past 26 years.

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

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Lots of Wheels and Motors31 Aug 202000:14:19

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Building robots and inspiring other students to follow suit are among the chief passions that propelled BadgerBOTS Team 1306 to win the Wisconsin Regional 2020 FIRST Robotics Chairman's award. Join Mike and Chair Kevin Chang, finance whiz Max Roquitte, and CAD engineer Cal Rossman as they explain the inner workings of their 'bot, how FIRST helps kids get into STEM fields, and how SLAS can help get automation motivation up!

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

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A Tinkerer's Approach24 Aug 202000:14:36

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Synthetic Biology has exploded - MIT professor Jim Collins outlines just a few of the opportunities in diagnostics among those in energy, materials, and sustainability. Along the way, learn about his shock at discovering that freeze-dried cell-free extracts could be brought "back to life," the amazing group of collaborators that propelled him forward, and some...interesting...approaches to cholera diagnostics.

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
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A New Job Title Every Day17 Aug 202000:14:10

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Bioengineer? Teacher? Analytical chemist? Carine Nemr, the 2019 SLAS Graduate Education Fellowship winner, is all of these (and more!). Join us as we discuss lab training, microfluidics, antibiotic resistance, and how small the world really is....networking is key!

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

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SLAS2024 Keynote Speakers | A Conversation with Erin Welsh and Erin Allmann Updyke of This Podcast Will Kill You (Sponsored by Benchling)15 Jan 202400:40:17

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In this special episode, the hosts of the popular podcast "This Podcast Will Kill You" and SLAS2024 International Conference and Exhibition Keynote Speakers Erin Welsh, Ph.D., and Erin Allmann Updyke, M.D., Ph.D., join host Hannah Rosen, Ph.D., for a riveting discussion!

The duo, both disease ecologists, delve into the intricacies of science communication, the challenges scientists face in admitting uncertainty and the importance of demystifying the scientific process for a broader audience.

We’re excited to bring SLAS2024: Innovation at Every Turn back to Boston!
Join the global life sciences and technology community from February 3-7 for scientific sessions in nine tracks delivered by a diverse group of scientists, academic researchers and industry professionals from around the world.

Our Sponsor for this Episode
Benchling creates the software that powers the biotechnology industry. More than 200,000 scientists at over 1,200 companies globally —  from cutting-edge start-ups to 20+ of the 50 largest global biopharma — rely on the Benchling R&D Cloud as their central source of truth for scientific data, analysis, and collaboration. Benchling is on a mission to accelerate scientific progress through advanced software that's purpose-built for biology.

To learn more,  visit: Benchling.com

Full Transcript Available on Buzzsprout

Stay connected with SLAS

About SLAS
SLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government life sciences researchers and the developers and providers of laboratory automation technology. The SLAS mission is to bring together researchers in academia, industry and government to advance life sciences discovery and technology via education, knowledge exchange and global community building. 

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
  • Boston, MA

SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
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CRISPR is Eating the World10 Aug 202000:21:30

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The discovery and application of different ways to edit genes has revolutionized how we understand biological systems. Mammoth Biosciences' CTO Dr. Janice Chen joins Mike to talk about how to launch a start-up, how to discover new CRISPR nucleases, and how to turn lab discoveries into products that benefit human health. You might also hear about riding in an Uber with a plate reader on your lap. Tune in!

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

  • February 7-11, 2026
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SLAS Europe 2026 Conference and Exhibition

  • 19-21 May 2026
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Stronger for the Future04 Aug 202000:18:08

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SLAS CEO Vicki Loise discusses with Mike how 2021 will look different - but better! - for our conferences, symposia, journals, eLearning, podcasts, and microcredentials. Get ready to engage with us on many more levels as we storm into '21.

SLAS2026 International Conference & Exhibition

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Jurassic Park Culture and Dirty Sinks27 Jul 202000:28:09

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If you need a crash course in synthetic biology and the sheer joy of natural products discovery, look no further than Dr. Keith Robison of Ginkgo Bioworks and his blog Omics! Omics!. Mike and Keith cover the wacky world of biology, from finding bugs in oil reserves and sea slugs to the unexpected wealth of molecular diversity that emerges to treat human disease and even COVID-19. Careful listeners will hear about slime molds, dirty tubs, FK-506, and just how many computational cycles you can buy for $1. What color is that resistor, again? Join us!


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