My Green Lab – a non-profit organisation that is focused on improving the sustainability of scientific research – recently reported that the carbon footprint produced by the biotech and pharmaceutical industry (including laboratories) increased from 3.9 percent in 2021 to five percent in 2022.
But, more and more companies are committing to the UN’s Race to Zero campaign, which aims to halve total carbon emissions by 2030 and reach net zero emissions by 2050.
In addition to reducing Scope 1 emissions (direct emissions from owned or controlled sources) and Scope 2 emissions (indirect emissions from the purchase and use of electricity, steam, heating and cooling), there is a growing focus on Scope 3 emissions (indirect emissions that occur in the upstream and downstream activities of an organisation).
My Green Lab found that overall, Scope 3 emissions are 4.6 times greater than Scope 1 and 2 combined in the biotech and pharma sector. The impact of this is that pressure to reduce carbon use is being applied down the supply chain, impacting labs at every phase of development, scale-up and manufacturing.
According to CPHI’s 2023 annual survey, 93 percent of executives state that ‘visibility on supply chain partner’s sustainability record’ is either ‘extremely important’ or ‘important’.
There are a number of ways in which laboratories can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability – and help the organisations they are providing services to reduce their Scope 3 emissions – some to consider include:
There are many other networks, initiatives and accreditations aimed at helping labs become more sustainable. Tapping into these resources, as well as finding ways to make your lab more efficient, can help you to both reduce carbon emissions and save costs. Importantly, it will ensure your lab does not lose out in future when sustainability becomes a deciding factor in procurement.
Scimcon continues its commitment to reducing its carbon footprint, having signed up to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) and providing a target whilst also gaining an award for sustainability from Ecovadis. As we continue to add value in the complex lab informatics field, we work closely with our clients to detail Scimcon’s Scope 3 assessments and action plans.
Ear to the ground: the latest trends in lab informatics?We recently sat down with Rizwan Chaudhrey, a well-connected figure in the life science and pharmaceutical industries, to discuss the changes he has seen across the lab sector in recent years; how this has been impacted by COVID; and any new trends in lab informatics.
I’ve been involved in this field for a long time, building up a portfolio of connections across life science, biopharma, and pharma. I have worked alongside key opinion leaders for the past 8 years, including both members of the media and decision makers within the companies themselves. I have been involved in a myriad of different projects in the industry in that time, from event management to sales strategy. I now work across the whole value chain, aiming to connect and inform people through news, interviews and other forms of content.
I speak to people across all disciplines and roles, and generally host 2 types of interview. In-person interviews, usually at an industry event,where my interviewees generally talk about the company, what they’re showcasing at an event, and any product launches that might be coming up. Video interviews are often more topical, highlighting a specific subject or industry challenge.
During my time in this industry, I’ve visited many different eventsand spoken to hundreds of companies in this space, from large organisations to smaller start-ups. In the time I have been in the industry, lab informatics has changed a lot – it is very much an industry that keeps you on your toes!
Digitalisation is obviously a topic that is heavily discussed, certainly in the events I attend and the interviews I conduct. I think there’s been an interesting shift recently though. The whole industry thought that the COVID-19 pandemic would have a significant effect and drastically speed up the rate of adoption, like we’ve seen in other industries. Everything was going to move to the cloud, and remote access requirements led everyone to believe that we were going to move towards digitalisation at a rate of knots. While we are seeing increasing use of digitised systems, the shift has not been as quick or dramatic as people expected.
From my discussions with lab-based organisations, it appears that one of the big barriers to following through on digital transformation is not knowing where to start. At present, it doesn’t appear as though one vendor has “cracked it” and developed an all-in-one solution that addresses every lab’s needs – there are many different companies offering an array of services and solutions, which can be daunting for a lab-based organisation that is stuck somewhere on its digitalisation journey. For example, major vendors might offer solutions and software packages for their own instruments, but on another level you can look at platforms that focus on specific therapies – there are so many layers to the topic, which is why I believe there are still so many shows with exhibitors talking about what they can bring to the table.
Certainly – you can’t avoid artificial intelligence as a topic at the moment! And you can understand why, it has plenty of advantages for labs.
AI can help labs not only generate insights from millions of cells, but also interpret that data and help identify the most valuable results. Machine learning (ML) also provides clear benefits in terms of equipment servicing, as ML-enabled instruments can help engineers and customers through self-diagnosis and troubleshooting. It also facilitates lab automation, through features like automatic refill notifications.
Post-COVID, we’ve definitely seen a rise in collaboration. Organisations and scientists seem more willing than ever before to share information. We’re also seeing a shift towards automated processes in the lab, with systems using learnt information to lessen the need for human intervention.
In the current environmental climate, sustainability is naturally a big talking point too. Every company I speak to is keen to showcase their ESG practices, especially considering the impact the life science and pharmaceutical industry has on the environment.
We agree with Rizwan that the field of lab informatics is at an exciting crossroads. Still emerging from the madness of COVID, and with the growing promise of AI seeming more inevitable by the day, the industry is facing a period of unpredictability.
As scientists ourselves, the team at Scimcon is well-placed to help lab-based companies address their challenges. Find out more about how Scimcon can help you navigate the fog by visiting our website.
From Scotland to Suffolk: A 350-mile ‘cycle to work’ to help fight blood cancer?Scimcon’s Geoff Parker and Joscelin Smith will be cycling an impressive 350 miles in just three days in early June – but this isn’t merely a fitness exercise. Scimcon is fundraising for Blood Cancer UK, a charity that provides vital services and support for all those affected by the disease. Through research, care and outreach, the charity is committed to the fight against leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and all other types of blood cancer.
This is a cause particularly close to Scimcon’s heart, as a member of the organisation has a personal connection to blood cancer – find out more about their story here. This link has made the team even more determined to raise as much money as possible for charity, even if it results in some sore legs!
The pair will be starting in Scotland, heading past Hadrian’s wall and into Cumbria, before cycling south-east through the Yorkshire Dales – we hope the weather co-operates and the two are treated to some picturesque views.
Both of our Scimcon cyclists have been putting themselves through their paces through various training sessions recently, and by the time they hit the midlands, we suspect they’ll be glad that they did! Once they have gone past Cambridge, however, they’ll know they are onto the final straight. Finally arriving at Scimcon HQ in Newmarket, the intrepid travellers will be grateful of a sit down.
Good luck to both, we hope the practice pays off!
Scimcon has committed to Blood Cancer UK as our company charity since 2021, to support the charity’s drive towards life-saving research.
Blood Cancer UK has been dedicated to beating blood cancer for the last 64 years, investing more than £500 million in research to transform treatments and save lives. And there is no doubt that the money raised has changed the world for those affected by blood cancer. In the early 2000’s, only 41% of people diagnosed with leukaemia survived five years – today, the figure stands at 52%. Even greater improvements have been recorded in survival rates for non-Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma.
Scimcon has set up a Just Giving page to allow for contributions to Blood Cancer UK, with the aim of raising £5,000. If you would like to contribute and support a worthwhile charity, or if you would like more information about the bike ride, visit the page and make a donation today: https://www.justgiving.com/page/scimcon-1709028074656.
