Our new edition: PhDs, biosimilars, Future Lab, ELN and more…
4 Feb 2026
Is the PhD still a good investment for a STEM career? The new edition of Laboratory News offers a personal perspective on the value of the research qualification in changing times.
Katie Linkens looks back on the experience and offers pointers on page 30 on how to weigh up whether it’s the right route or not.
Elsewhere, we look at how the modern laboratory translates science into real world results…
On page 12, Dr Rachel Sully examines how physical chemistry can determine the trustworthiness of biological data, examining the influence of materials on bioassays.
Biologics and biosimilars are the focus on page 17, as Isabel Murphy documents the impact of patenting and the regulatory process in the case of recent rheumatoid therapies.
Deloitte’s Andrew Garrood, James Roden and Colin Terry discuss the contribution of digitally enabled environments to the Lab of the Future with reference to their company’s recent survey of R&D executives on page 21.
Electronic Lab Notebooks were the source of criticism in a recent poll reported in our news section but Southampton university’s Dr Samantha Pearman-Kanza offers a more positive assessment of how careful planning can change mindsets on page 25.
In our Knowledge section, physical and economic infrastructure come under the spotlight. Teknomek’s Ricky Williams outlines the importance of furniture, layout and workflow for the effective use of fume hoods and biosafety cabinets in the laboratory on page 36.
Finally, on page 41, UK Export Finance CEO Tim Reid explains how accessing finance for your exports need not be out of reach for innovative science start-ups.
And there’s also all our usual columns… Laboratology with Dr Mathew Partridge, Lab Babble with Russ Swan and Game Theory with Drs Louise Robinson and Ian Turner.
From materials to markets – how modern laboratories turn science into impact. In your new edition of Laboratory News. Watch out for the digital edition online.
