24 hours in the life of a laboratory supervisor in Germany
13 Nov 2024
Maria Toumazou, is a laboratory supervisor at the European University Cyprus in Frankfurt Germany
In this guest blog post, submitted as part of the global #CLINICAL24 conversation, Maria Toumazou tells us about her role as a laboratory supervisor. Discover what responsibilities she has, her top tips for efficient management, and her insightful thoughts on technology in the modern laboratory.
About my role as a laboratory supervisor in Germany
My name is Maria Toumazou (BSc General Biology with Biophysics), and I’m a laboratory supervisor. I work in the private education sector, I am in the medical branch of the European University Cyprus in Frankfurt, Germany and I supervise the laboratories of the university in the field of medicine.
As a laboratory supervisor I strive to run my laboratories safely and efficiently. I’m responsible for overseeing day-to-day activities in the laboratory, this includes supervision of laboratory personnel, quality assurance, and overseeing the collection, analyzing and ultimate use of lab data, supplies, software and documentation. I’m also responsible for training new lab technicians and lab staff. I handle standard operating procedure (SOP) documents, and I also establish and maintain databases relative to laboratory supplies, materials, procedures, regulation and operations. Part of my job description is to supervise medical students in the labs for the experiments.
What does a typical day look like for you?
My workdays are always very different. I’m responsible for ensuring that the labs run smoothly. The first thing that I usually do when I arrive at work is to check my emails to be sure there aren’t issues requiring an immediate response or any changes in the daily lab schedule.
As laboratory supervisor, Maria Toumazou is responsible for overseeing day-to-day activities in the laboratory.
Some mornings are full of administrative work; managing inventory of supplies needed for the labs, placing orders and following up on orders, keeping up with tasks related to lab inspections and other regulatory requirements.
My main aim is that the labs run smoothly and safely. I have to ensure that all medical students and staff follow the safety rules, that our equipment is set and running efficiently, and all the supplies are in place as well as the lab protocol that our students have to follow for each lab.
Lastly, I have to coordinate the daily workload with my technician to ensure that everything is working as it should.
My biggest challenges as a lab supervisor
The biggest challenge I have is managing my time efficiently in order to be prepared, that’s why I have five tips that I follow:
1. Plan and organize lab stock and be flexible
2. Maintain a good professional relationship with my peers
3. Set aside some time for reading the latest research and attending skills workshops/conference
4. Hold regular lab meetings
5. Try to develop your people management skills
Lab work never stops so you need to be able to predict the problem before it even becomes a problem and try to solve it.
How technology supports my work as a laboratory supervisor
In today’s fast-paced world of scientific exploration, laboratories have evolved into hubs of innovation and experimentation. Automation-ready, these instruments seamlessly integrate into existing laboratory workflows, saving time and reducing the risk of contamination.
We use digital lab work plans, digital archiving of equipment and resources, and digital safety alarms that I have in my phone for urgent situations e.g. temperature failures of critical equipment. High-performance computing (HPC) clusters offer an effective solution for meeting this growing demand for computational resources.
All the above and many more make my lab routine easier, efficient, safe and more productive
In a world where scientific research is advancing at an unprecedented pace, laboratories must harness the power of technology to stay competitive and make groundbreaking discoveries. As technology continues to evolve, staying at the forefront of scientific research requires a willingness to embrace these innovative solutions and integrate them seamlessly into your lab’s workflow.