This is the era for technical specialists - how specialists are leading and thriving now and in the future

Date: 19:00:00 - Jan 16 2025

Speakers: Peter O'Toole, Lucy Hudson, Ian Hancox, Chris Law

The future of laboratory technical specialists is bright, dynamic, and more essential than ever. Join us for an engaging webinar with Peter O'Toole, Chris Law, Ian Hancox and Lucy Hudson, where we will explore how technical specialists are not only adapting to today's rapidly evolving scientific landscape but also leading innovation and thriving in their roles.

This webinar will delve into the key skills, training, and technologies that are shaping the future of lab technical specialists.

As the scientific world grows more complex, the demand for highly skilled professionals who can navigate advanced tools, specialised techniques, and new regulatory environments is skyrocketing.

Key learnings from this webinar:

The evolving role of technical specialists: how specialists are becoming indispensable in driving research, optimising lab operations, and ensuring accurate results in a variety of industries
Training for the future: the importance of continuous professional development and the types of training programs needed to keep specialists ahead of the curve in the face of emerging technologies and techniques
Leveraging innovation: how technical specialists are leading the charge in implementing cutting-edge technologies such as automation, AI, and data analytics within laboratory settings
Career growth and opportunities: insight into the expanding career opportunities for technical specialists and how they can thrive in a rapidly changing field.

Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how to prepare for the next generation of challenges and opportunities in laboratory sciences, with actionable strategies to develop the skills necessary to stay relevant and excel.

This is the era for technical specialists - don't miss out on learning how you can be part of this exciting future.

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Speakers

Peter O'Toole

Peter is Director of the Bioscience Technology Facility covering the broad spectrum of technologies required for a multi-disciplined science wide user based at the University of York. These include Data Science, Genomics, Imaging and Cytometry, Metabolomic and Proteomics, Molecular Interactions and Biophysics, Protein Production, with 30 expert staff. Within the Facility, he has also built up and still heads the highly successful Imaging and Cytometry Labs which includes an array of confocal microscopes, flow cytometers, electron microscopes and novel instrumentation. The Facility is now a flagship EuroBioimaging node, and Zeiss Labs@Location, as well as hosting multiple demo instruments for Carl Zeiss, Beckman Coulter, PhaseFocus and Tomocube for which he has helped design, and BD. Pete is the President of the Royal Microscopical Society, whilst also an active member on many other international bodies, including CTLS, the Technical Specialists Network, and ELMI and co-Chairs and serves on multiple funding grant panels. Peter gained his PhD in the Cell Biophysics Laboratory at Essex and has been involved in many aspects of fluorescence imaging. His current focus is on both technology and method development of novel probes and imaging modalities including label-free. His lab also provides research support to many academics and commercial organisations and he has ongoing collaborations and consultancy contracts with many leading microscopy and cytometry companies. Finally, Pete is also heavily involved with microscopy and cytometry training through a variety of international courses and wider communication via his podcasts ‘The Microscopists’ and ‘Flow Stars’.

Lucy Hudson

Lucy Hudson is a Faculty Technical Manager at the University of York, where she has worked for more than 30 years. She took a vocational career path, working across the bioscience research disciplines, from cancer to plants and immunology, from technician to laboratory manager. Lucy manages the technical support, services, and facilities of Biology, Health Sciences, Archaeology, Psychology, and Hull York Medical School (research). Throughout her career, she has been an advocate for improving career development for technicians in HE. In 2016, she lobbied her Dean of the Science Faculty to become a founding signatory of the Technician Commitment (TC); she is the technical lead for the TC, Chair of the TC Delivery Group and a Peer reviewer for the TC. Lucy is a trustee and member of the Royal Society of Biology and the honorary secretary and fellow of the Institute of Science and Technology.

Ian Hancox

Ian oversees the Research Technology Platforms at the University of Warwick, an integrated network of 14 core facilities available for any researcher at Warwick and externally to access. He is also strategic lead for the institutions strategy around technical staff and helped implement their Technical Specialist Promotional Pathway in 2023. In addition, Ian has supported the Ian development of research technical professionals in the midlands and nationally, through input on initiatives including the Warwick Analytical Science Centre (WASC), TALENT, and the UK Institute of Technical Skills and Strategy (ITSS). Ian is also a member of the organisation committee for the UK Technology Specialists Network (TSN) and Principal Investigator on the EPSRC funded TSN RTP Opportunities, Knowledge and Skills (TSN ROKS). He is also on the Capital Infrastructure Strategic Advisory Team for EPSRC.

Chris Law

Christopher has 21 years' experience specializing in flow/mass cytometry, its applications and relevant research niches. Operating the Cell Sorting & Mass Cytometry facility of the University of Liverpool since 2016, Chris provides internal investigators and external collaborators with technical expertise and scientific consultations. From positive initiatives at Liverpool, together with empowerment from the technical community, Chris is now progressing his career via stepping into a supervisory management position. In the past year Chris is supported to lead stronger engagement towards education in the university, applying his past teaching experiences to knowledge- /expertise- transfer of cytometry expertise among research staff and students.