Managing a Laboratory

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Managing a Laboratory
Developing a Budget
Stephanie W. Watts Pharmacology
Toxicology Michigan State University
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Making your laboratory work
You are responsible for dollars coming and going
out of your laboratory. Responsible and
efficient use of these dollars is your
goal. Using in a proactive instead of a
crisis-mode is preferred (and significantly less
stressful!)
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Basics
Estimate that 70 of your laboratory budget
will go towards personnel costs -salary -fringe
/benefits -tuition know what you must have to
make your lab go, and then think about what would
be great to have. Make sure key pieces of
equipment are available to you. Animal costs
are continuous.
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Negotiating to obtain a Laboratory
Be smart. Find those who most recently came
into the dept and enquire what they obtained in
terms of start-up costs.
Ask, straight off, whether your start up money
can support technical help or purchase of
important equipment. Understand restrictions
where they apply.
Understand if this money has to be spent out in
a certain time. Trade-off. If you know someone
who needs a big piece of equipment, you dont,
but have the - .
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Starting a Laboratory
Understand from the get-go if there is a certain
/sq ft that you need to bring into the
laboratory.
Use the New-Investigator Offers from companies
that give you a break on cost. Example -
Fischer Scientific. Dont hesitate to ask
whether such a program exists. Big ticket items
- investigate whether other investigators in your
building/department might be interested. Share
the cost. Use Senior investigators - they did
this, too!
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Maintaining and helping a laboratory thrive
Know your financial officer and recognize their
power. Stay on top of your deadlines -know
when a granting period ends - use it or lose
it! -know when progress reports are due and
when next years will be posted to your
accounts Use your gold money smart. Keep a
rainy day account, if you can. Take a position
on collaboration.
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Words from the Wise (or at least older!)
Prepare for unexpected changes in expenses
charged to grants as defined by the University.
Think about the ethics of allocating funds
provided for one research project for a totally
separate project.
Learn about your purchasing department - how
tough are they on sole-source requirements?
Multiple bidders?
A Purchasing credit card is a big help and saves
time and money.
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Words from the Wise (or at least older!), cont.
If you use animals, KNOW YOUR PER DIEM. Find
out if your animal care units give you a break in
cost for PI-care.
Identify one key protocol that is your bread and
butter and make sure, in your start-up package,
you have everything you need to do this and you
get this early. This ensures you can move
forward in the lab while the rest of the lab is
coming together.
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Feel Free to contact me
Stephanie W Watts Pharmacology and
Toxicology Michigan State University East
Lansing, MI 517 353 3724 wattss_at_msu.edu