Managing lab supplies

How to keep track of all the stuff in the lab

Inventory Management

LabSpend

We use LabSpend to manage our inventory here: https://labspend.com/offers/inventory

If you need a login talk to Simon.

Adding items to LabSpend

You may want to add to an existing item's stock count or add a new item. So, first search for the item and see if it's already in stock. For example if you had just received new Cytofix/Cytoperm you could search for perm and see we already have 1 bottle in the fridge. You may wish to just update this quantitiy to 2.

If you want to store it somewhere else, or your search shows we don't have any of the item already, you'll need to add it as a new item.

Click on "Inventory", and "Add Item" to "Add Item"

You'll be presented with a form to fill in containing the information on the item. An example is below. Feel free to tag your item for easy filtering later, we can add or remove tags that are useful. This will let you later filter all "flow cyometry antibodies" for example, or all Western blot reagents.

If your item contains multiple smaller items (e.g. mutliple tubes in a kit) you can list them all and their sizes by clicking Container Management.

Finding items in LabSpend

Use the search box to search for an item you can use the name, catalog numbers etc.

You will see the item, how many we have in stock, and where they are stored (bottom right).

If you click the location you'll be taken to maps of the location. You can see which room the item is in, along with where in the room you'll find it.

Using items in LabSpend

When you're planning an experiment and want to make sure you have enough stock of key reagents you can "check them out" in lab spend. This will mark the item (or a number of items) as reserved so no one can use it until you check it back in.

You must only reserve reagents for experiments that you have planned in the next couple of weeks. Nothing should be reserved for longer than it would take to replace because if someone else uses it and replaces it before you needed it we all get more science done.

If the "owner" listen under the item isn't you, you should ask if you check the item out (see below).

Liquid Nitrogen

We keep all our cells, cell lines, and patient samples in liquid nitrogen.

Liquid Nitroge is currently managed outside LabSpend using a Google Sheet you should have access to.

If you need space in Liquid Nitrogen talk to Simon or the tech team who can arrange a box for you. It is vital that you keep the liquid nitrogen databased up to date as this is audited as part of our compliance with the Human Tissue Act.

Cells stored in liquid nitrogen must be labelled, using a label or a pen designed for use in liquid nitrogen, so that the label cannot smudge away. The label must contain:

• the Cell Line Name/Identifier: (e.g., HeLa, HEK293)

• Passage Number: Essential for tracking the age of the cells (e.g., P5)

• Date of Freezing: (e.g., 2026-04-02)

• Initials of Researcher: For identification

• Cell Concentration/Number: (e.g., (1 \times 10^6) cells/mL),