AMONG the many interesting observations this week at the Planet xMap symposium in Monaco was discussion of an industry trend by Tim Dehne, VP marketing for sponsoring company Luminex.
The company’s microbead-based assays are being exploited in many new and ingenious medical research and clinical diagnostics techniques, many of which were the subjects of presentations here (see our report at No 2 in this week’s top ten).
But the comment that really caught my attention was in a private discussion, rather than the conference chamber. We’ve all seen the growing importance of lab automation technologies over recent years, and we’ve also seen how pressures on lab throughput have led to simplified sample preparation techniques.
Dehne imparted that a recent survey had shown that the average age of a medical technician in the USA is now in the mid-50s. This means, of course, that many are approaching retirement each year – and it seems they are not being replaced.
This tells us that the trends towards automation and simplified protocols will certainly continue, but it also leaves me somewhat worried. With the loss of a generation of experienced lab practitioners will come the loss of a huge resource of knowledge and experience.
The youngsters who will, inevitably and eventually, replace the old timers may well have the inside track in the digital age, but there really is no substitute for experience. No amount of technology can properly encapsulate a lifetime at the bench, and the resourcefulness this provides for the times when things go wrong.
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Latest top stories: 11 October 2012
1. Assessing the potential of next-generation sequencing
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http://labhomepage.com/2863/genomics/assessing-the-potential-of-next-generation-sequencing/
2. xMap at 10: towards a future of precision medicine
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http://labhomepage.com/2855/research/xmap-at-10-towards-a-future-of-precision-medicine/
3. Winning micrograph image scores seal of approval
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http://labhomepage.com/2846/microscope/winning-micrograph-image-scores-seal-of-approval/
4. An easier technique for large format vertical gel electrophoresis
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7. Well bottom elevation microplate standard now ANSI accredited
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8. Cap a complete rack of tubes in seconds
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http://labhomepage.com/2813/labware/cap-a-complete-rack-of-tubes-in-seconds/
9. Confocal microscope gives enhanced imaging of living specimens
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