8:15 am Registration, Networking & Coffee
Agile Lab Operations
Dedicated to small-to-mid sized biotechs, join this track to stay compliant, remain resilient in the face of workflow fluctuations, and be creative with your lab operations resources.
Lab Operations at Scale
Targeted towards large pharma with a critical expansion mindset, join this track to unlock your potential to expand within budget to meet the ever-changing requirements of your scientists.
9:00 am Workshop A: Maximizing Impact with Limited Ops Budgets: Prioritizing Spend in Resource-Constrained Lab Environments
Synopsis
Explore practical strategies for maximizing limited operational budgets and resources, being more conservative with spend to safeguard your labs.
Learn how to:
- Drive collaboration between scientists and lab managers to prioritize operational needs and align spend with the most critical scientific deliverables
- Allocate limited budgets strategically and find ways to better utilize currently available resources
- Make tough trade-offs through asset life cycle analysis and risk-based prioritization of maintenance and procurement
9:00 am Workshop D: Leveraging Advanced Tech to Scale Your Building & Workforce., Promoting Scientific Growth
Synopsis
Scale your space, assets, and resources without scaling headcount to maintain efficiency and manage costs as your operations grow. Learn how to integrate across multiple sites for streamlined success.
Key takeaways include:
- Develop an internal business case for advanced asset and facilities software to accompany increasing inventory burdens
- Pinpoint novel opportunities to automate core scientific workflow processes to optimize productivity
- Redesign roles and responsibilities strategically to maximize efficiency and focus on high-impact work
11:00 am Coffee Break
11:30 am Workshop B: Navigating Changes in Workforce to Prevent Downtime
Synopsis
As a lab operations professional, wearing many hats is already a challenge – how do we navigate this in the midst of fluctuating headcounts and workforce instability? This workshop will support you with the tools to better organize workflows and reallocate resources to adapt to internal changes and prevent downtime.
Learn how to:
- Reorganize operational and scientific workflows to accommodate changes in workforce to optimize productivity
- Balance critical lab operations with evolving workforce dynamics to ensure continuity and avoid disruptions
- Implement flexible scheduling and resource planning tools to proactively manage gaps and reduce downtime
11:30 am Workshop E: Session Reserved for PerkinElmer
1:30 pm Lunch Break
2:30 pm Workshop C: Harnessing Lean & Six Sigma Process Optimization
Synopsis
Join this deep-dive workshop to learn about where to get started with Lean and Six Sigma to effectively apply in all aspects of your operations.
Key takeaways include:
- Introducing the critical principles of lean and six sigma to kick-start your journey towards operating lean
- Establishing critical KPIs and how to continuously record outputs to track your lean operations
- Exploring applications of six sigma in operational protocols, space management, and workplace design for maximal efficiency
2:30 pm Workshop F: Advocating for Increased Operational Spend to Maximize Opportunity for Lab Improvements
Synopsis
Scaling operations whilst operating lean is now more important than ever – how can you as a leader fight for operational improvements to be made whilst still remaining efficient?
Key takeaways include:
- Interpreting operational data and performing a risk analysis to identify critical operational needs that justify spending
- Understanding when should increased budget become a non-negotiable and how to get more budget approved
- Communicating with finance and senior leadership to demonstrate long-term ROI of strategic investments in equipment, workforce, and facilities
Careers & Professional Development Evening
Learn from influential and strategic lab operations leaders to help carve out your personal career journey, and progress with the utmost confidence.
4:35 pm Short Course: Leading Without Authority to Best Influence End-Users
Synopsis
- Learning to collaborate optimally with scientists to promote compliance to novel processes and minimize conflicts
- Driving change management to perfection for novel lab operations systems and implement effective training to smoothen change
- Eradicating silos in communication with end-users to align internally on operational changes
4:45 pm Panel Discussion: Spearheading Change in Lab Operations & Facilities – Career Progression & Journey Towards Leadership
Synopsis
- Understand the knowledge, courses, and certifications to help propel you up the ladder to become a true lab operations leader
- Learn how to navigate your role without mentoring to help equip yourself with the building blocks towards success in your career
- Define what it means to be a woman or minority group in lab operations and understand what academic tools to leverage to reach your true potential