I have to design the different sectors, including the building. It's main activity will be plant genetic transformation. I would be glad to receive any publication or personal experiences.
A facility does not only consists of main molecular bio lab. (that everyone is obsessed about) but also consists of service and storage, disposal sections. The standards of the bio lab is defined under each country` legislation and ISO regulations. First of all we should know which country are you planning to operate (State, Country). Second, are u planning to initiate a core lab or only an attachment? It is not professional to advise you roughly here about such a comprehensive process but to give an idea about where to start.
Make a list First:
1) Services that you are planning to offer or supply (Name by Service Pls).
2) Eligibility of the unit (Would you support diagnostic services to public?)
3) Number of the academic or technical staff planning to be required.
4) Building Safety for natural and experimental incidences. (Fire etc.) (If you are going to accept students, then the risk assessments would be changing e.g.)
5) Regional legislation and ISO for your operations (No GMO seed experimenting facility should be close to farming areas etc...)
We can simply summarize that, building a biotech (the definition is not clear, at least for legislation) is not purely a matter of financial power but also a good coordinated web between you facility's` expected stakeholders.
You will need Biolistic Gene Gun by Bio Rad. A double glass green house with hair circulation between the two glasses. Pulse field gel elecrophoresis system. PCR machines. -70 freezers. etc.
Also, get some Material Safety Data sheet, to the the degree of risk and hazards, some of the equipment and chemicals that will be used in the building.
You will also need a good well established Tissue culture lab. in the building. Liquid nitrogen facility. Agarose Gel electrophoresis units, Gel Documentation System and analysis softwares. It all depends upon how much budget is available.
A facility does not only consists of main molecular bio lab. (that everyone is obsessed about) but also consists of service and storage, disposal sections. The standards of the bio lab is defined under each country` legislation and ISO regulations. First of all we should know which country are you planning to operate (State, Country). Second, are u planning to initiate a core lab or only an attachment? It is not professional to advise you roughly here about such a comprehensive process but to give an idea about where to start.
Make a list First:
1) Services that you are planning to offer or supply (Name by Service Pls).
2) Eligibility of the unit (Would you support diagnostic services to public?)
3) Number of the academic or technical staff planning to be required.
4) Building Safety for natural and experimental incidences. (Fire etc.) (If you are going to accept students, then the risk assessments would be changing e.g.)
5) Regional legislation and ISO for your operations (No GMO seed experimenting facility should be close to farming areas etc...)
We can simply summarize that, building a biotech (the definition is not clear, at least for legislation) is not purely a matter of financial power but also a good coordinated web between you facility's` expected stakeholders.
Ekrem has most of this covered but don't put off the permitting as it can take a long time. Of course, depending on location you'll need to consider permits required to do the work you propose. Sometimes these are already secured by the landlord or the management company of the building but rDNA permits, waste permits, biohazard waste contracts (showing you have the plan and means to dispose of biowaste properly), and many jurisdictions require pest control contracts to receive building occupancy permits. Most of this is EU and US based and it will vary by location.
You must knew mwhat is the problem and aim ,according your facilities ,you can plan the way.But my advice to look for your faiclities to do ,not as your or our dreams .
Dear Juan, I suggest you one plant distribution in five independent but linked areas: Culture Medium Area, Vegetal Transformation Area, Growth Room, Clean Room and Steam Room. I also suggest one greenhouse with controlled enviroment and if it's possible, your owner equipment and devices for assembled your own genetic constructs.
Reinhardt Acuña has rightly mentioned the dimensions of a Plant Genetic transformation lab. it depends upon the objectives that whether the lab will serve experimental only or commercial purpose also. any way one separate culture transfer room, cold room, store room and meeting room should also be added in the dimensions described by the Reinhardt Acuña.
If you are near to any institutes go there and see all the facilities and design according to ur choice what should be included and what not. You are investing something look for the market at your places and then choose the which lab and what type of lab you want to design.
First u should make an idea about what type of experiment you are suppose to conduct. I general i can suggest u need a laminar hood, autoclave, centrifuges, fridge, -80,-20 freezers, water baths, incubators both shaking and non shaking, hot air oven, hot plate, microwave oven, general glassware and chemicals, I am not mentioning about advanced equipment's . If u want any more information please contact .
Definitely get larger than standard doors/door frames. Make certain that the doors are large and tall enough to allow for the movement of a set of stacked cell culture incubators - it is such a pain to have to unstack them and move them individually... much easier to be able to simply roll them on their stand right through adequately proportioned doorways.
About ISO, The ISO 9000 family of standards are related to quality management systems and designed to help organizations ensure that they meet the needs of customers and other stakeholders; http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_9000_essentials.
In other words, the ISO 9000 family is not one standar for laboratory acreditation; but the ISO 17025 if there is; http://www.l-a-b.com/.
Apart from physical Infrastructure soft infrastructure is also needed like ISO, IPR, tech transfer and since you plan to have a commercial use at some stage you need to know patent related issues. Also I guess you would need new sources of funding and right collaborations. There is a network of Scientist and industry majors that can be of use to use. Visit www.bisa.co.in
I told you before,must to knew what is the main problems in your jop,main subject to improve ,to solve that problems,contaminations ,pollutions,natural sources ,etc. The baisc thins and equapments as all friends mentioned
If you plan for spcific things must mention for instances ,microbiology Departments, chemical analysis or biodegradations of toxcic substances like that.
Presumably the people you will be serving with this Lab have existing labs they are working in. Perhaps you should tour their labs and ask what they like and don't like about their existing space.
Setting of Biotechnology lab is very expensive and laborious task. You need more experienced people to help you also. In India, they dont maintain the lab properly. They give coooked up results to the students by getting money. You should have determination to do a nobble job. Wish U all the best Plan out in a proper manner.
1. Be careful about modelling your new lab after older, existing labs as they may either not be up to standard with the regulations or were built for out-dated work processes. Power consumption for example for equipment has changed, shielding from electrical interference is much more important now and vibration-free work surfaces are needed for modern instruments. While old labs are often quite sloppy in that (the microscope placed next to the centrifuge is a classic...), with a new lab you have a chance to build it right. Another example, a lot more work is done on the computer (data analysis, design of primers, reading papers) than in the lab. I worked in (industrial) labs where each benchworker had 2 computers, one at the bench, one in a cubicle. That doubles your IT requirement but saves scientists from gowning / de-gowning all the time.
2. Someone mentioned that you need to find out exactly what the use of the lab will be. Specialised molecular biology labs need to have special clean rooms for DNA / RNA work, more "hoods" than the old style labs whereas a microscopy facility needs to have access to dark rooms, cell culture and possibly higher floor load due to the increased weight of the tables.
3. Old labs often update their equipment with newer versions of the same thing, not looking for radically new technologies that does the same but at lower cost / footprint. I worked for a company that made a device beating the competition by logs in costs / performance but adoption is established labs was low, new labs ceased the opportunity. It is often astounding how "unscientific" scientists are when choosing their tools!
4. Think ahead. IT infrastructure is a big deal, a lot of lab renovations include shafts being drilled into buildings since the originals were not sufficient. Nowadays every lab seems to need a bioinformatics unit with their own super computer requiring massive cooling (and electricity). Question your researchers if this may happen in the future or whether this could be located in a totally different building.
5. Get the work environment right. My clients at US Government often work under appalling conditions in 1960 style small, convoluted labs with storage boxes cluttering every surface but the tiny edge of the bench where the work is done. They have no access to a comfortable and quiet rest and lunch area, let alone access to a gym, or showers. Industrial labs are designed around people much more and value that scientists do hard work and provide them with the best tools and environment. With a new facility, you get a chance to get this right from the start.
Again, good luck with you work - very exciting, let us know how it is going!
Dera Dietrich your point of view is not conventional... that´s what I´m looking for. (I was forgetting the electrical interference and the massive cooling for the server...) Thanks everyone for your help. I´m now desinig the lab with an architect and defining the characteristics of the equipment.
Good luck and a fruitful outcome .You may encounter some set backs some red tabes never mind this is how thing goes, but at the end you will be proud of what you did.
I think a conversation with start-up consultants would give ideas regarding step-wise-step process of starting a company and obtain insight into what kinds of legal, financial, strategic management, and operation challenges are involved. Also, a networking with colleagues in Biotech companies may be helpful in understanding commercial aspect of a start-up.