Protecting the Irreplaceable: Safeguarding Materials and Equipment

By the Numbers
Written By Christine Bentaleb

In Life Sciences environments, every vial, cell line, freezer, and piece of instrumentation carries scientific value that cannot be replaced. A single deviation during a move such as a temperature drift or an undocumented handling step can compromise years of work. Protecting these assets is not simply operational. It is strategic, compliance critical, and central to research continuity.

 
 

Why the Stakes Are Higher Than Ever

Unplanned laboratory downtime is extremely costly. Industry analysis estimates $740k per incident, with some facilities losing nearly $8k for every minute of disruption (Polar Lab Projects). Any lapse during a move can quickly escalate into these levels of loss. 

Life Sciences organizations now operate within increasingly complex and regulated environments. Several forces are redefining asset protection:

  • Advanced therapies with almost no tolerance for handling or temperature deviations

  • Stronger expectations from QA, QC, and regulatory bodies

  • Multi site research networks that increase the frequency and complexity of moves

  • Rising demand for digital, audit ready documentation

Research interruptions tied to transitions can cost organizations significant amounts of money per incident, and as much as twenty percent of avoidable asset loss may stem from documentation gaps.

 
 

Precision Planning That Protects Scientific Integrity

Laboratory instruments and equipment can represent up to 40 percent of a lab’s non-personnel spending (Lab Manager 2024). Given this level of investment, precision planning is essential.

  • Risk assessments for every asset type

  • Calibration and condition documentation

  • SOPs aligned with institutional and regulatory expectations

  • Verification checkpoints throughout packing and transport

  • Coordination between Research, EHS, Facilities, and Quality teams

This disciplined planning is fundamental as labs manage more sensitive and regulated assets.

 

Digital Chain of Custody

The global cold chain monitoring market, which includes digital tracking and audit-ready visibility, is projected to grow from US $6.7 billion in 2024 to US $21.4 billion by 2034 (Global Market Insights, 2024). This trend reflects an industry wide shift toward real time traceability and digital chain of custody.

Manual logs can no longer meet the expectations of modern Life Sciences environments. To improve accuracy and minimize risk, teams rely on independent platforms such as Glimpse, a real-time asset management software, which provide:

  • Real time tracking

  • Timestamped checkpoints

  • A centralized, audit ready chain of custody

  • Cleaner documentation for QA and QC review

Paper logs tell you what happened. Digital tools show what is happening now, giving researchers and quality teams confidence that assets remain protected.

 
 
“Protecting scientific continuity is paramount for our clients, going beyond mere equipment protection. Digital transparency is an essential safeguard for this continuity.”
— Rebecca Butler, Visions Life Sciences Lead
 

Risk Mitigation in Regulated Environments

Temperature deviations alone account for an estimated US $20 billion to US $35 billion in annual losses across the pharmaceutical industry (Sensos, 2024). These losses underscore how vulnerable research assets can be during transport and environmental change.

Research transitions involve a broad range of risks including hazardous materials, biological samples, cold storage, robotics, and validated equipment. These risks can be mitigated through:

  • Specialized packing and stabilization

  • Redundant temperature controls

  • Live monitoring when appropriate

  • Pre and post move calibration coordination

  • Alignment with cGMP, GLP, FDA, NIH, OSHA, and local policies

This approach ensures that assets remain compliant and ready for immediate use.

 

Where Asset Protection Is Heading
Industry research shows that Life Sciences organizations are rapidly evolving their expectations for how laboratory transitions are managed. Three trends consistently appear across recent reports.

 
 

Digital Chain of Custody

Emerging trends analyses show that chain of custody and chain of identity are now essential supply-chain metrics, particularly in cell and gene therapy where real time traceability directly affects quality (Infosys Life Sciences Trends Report, 2024). Digital audit trails are no longer optional — they are becoming the standard in regulated research environments.

 

Increasing cold chain sensitivity

The cold chain sector has reached a critical inflection point, driven by biologics and advanced therapies that demand continuous temperature visibility and tighter environmental control (Pharmaceutical Technology, Pharma Cold Chains: Major Trends Shaping the Next Decade, 2024). This shift is accelerating the adoption of predictive monitoring, redundancy, and real time alerts.

 
 

Research environments mirroring production standards

Life Sciences sites are adopting cGMP-level rigor in research areas as data systems unify R&D, clinical, quality, and manufacturing operations under governed, traceable platforms (CodaStrat Life Sciences IT Strategy Report, 2024). This trend reflects a broader move toward production-level consistency, documentation, and QA involvement in research spaces.

 

Preserving Continuity From Start to Finish

Safeguarding research during transitions depends on consistency, clarity, and control. When moves are planned with precision and supported by real time visibility, teams can maintain confidence that scientific work will continue without disruption.

Strong chain of custody practices, transparent digital tracking tools, and teams who understand the expectations of regulated environments are essential. Together, these elements reduce uncertainty, strengthen compliance, and create the conditions for uninterrupted research.

In a field where even small deviations can affect discoveries and outcomes, protecting continuity is not simply operational. It is a commitment to the science itself and to the people who rely on it.

 
 
Christine Bentaleb
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