Decoding the Digital Lab With CSols

Season 2

🎧 S02 E08: Sustainable Science: The Rise of Digital Traceability and qNMR at USP

In this episode of Decoding the Digital Lab, host Becky Stewart sits down with Kyle Larsen from the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) to discuss the groundbreaking shift toward digital reference standards and the launch of USP Method Connect. This episode is a must-listen for lab managers and scientists looking to bridge the gap between legacy paper systems and modern, automated workflows.

🎧 S02 E07: One Year of Decoding: AI Agents, Global Chaos, and the Future of Science

Can your lab survive a collision between global chaos and the explosive rise of AI? In this special first-anniversary episode of Decoding the Digital Lab, host Megan Pettyjohn sits down with industry veteran Kyle McDuffie to unpack the turbulent shifting grounds of modern lab informatics.

🎧 S02 E06: Leveraging AI's Speed Without Sacrificing Your Laboratory’s Intellectual Property

Stop letting "vibe coding" and vendor silos compromise your laboratory’s security and scalability. In this episode, we dive into the chaotic reality of modern lab automation, where the rush to innovate often leads to unmaintainable technical debt and massive security leaks. Senior Engineer Anthony Lisi from Incyte joins us to reveal why relying on AI to build your infrastructure without boundaries is a recipe for disaster.

🎧 S02 E05: Bridging the Gap Between AI Strategy and Lab Reality

Stop waiting for "perfect" data and start transforming your research today. In this episode of Decoding the Digital Lab, Rob Brown from Sapio Science pulls back the curtain on how leading labs are moving past the AI hype to achieve 90% fewer physical compounds and 3x faster discovery phases.

🎧 S02 E04: Transforming Labs with Predictive Analytics

Stop focusing on what happened in your lab and start predicting what’s next. In this episode, expert Ken Alves reveals how to shift from reactive firefighting to "predictive control."
While LIMS tracks the past, Ken explains how an intelligence layer—powered by AI and digital twins—can anticipate instrument failures and design compliance directly into your workflows.

🎧 S02 E03: Beyond the Black Box: Building Trust in Synthetic Trials and AI Agents

Join host Becky Stewart and AI leader Patrick Callahan as they dive into the critical intersection of technology and life sciences. This episode breaks down the hurdles to regulatory acceptance of synthetic data and the rise of "agentic AI"—systems that don't just assist humans but proactively manage lab workflows.

🎧 S02 E02: LIMS Strategy and AI Readiness

Considering a LIMS or ELN implementation? In this episode, Luc Duijsens, a seasoned leader in digital quality transformation and LIMS implementation, shares insights on maintaining customized environments, understanding platform differences, and selecting systems strategically.

🎧 S02 E01: Optimizing LIMS — A Scientist Admin Perspective

How does a small, six-person lab manage an enterprise-level LIMS? Research Scientist and LIMS Administrator Luke Moser shares how the University of Washington Environmental Health Lab transitioned from scattered spreadsheets to a structured LabWare system.

Season 1

🎧 S01 E17: LIMS Project Realities: Expectation vs. Implementation

Go behind the curtain with a LIMS Developer to learn what really happens during a LIMS deployment. This episode tackles the gap between "best practices" and reality, revealing the many ways teams can sabotage their new system. Discover the crucial difference between configuration and customization, why rigid requirements need real-time checks, and how Time and Materials projects differ from Fixed Price. Listen now to ensure your next LIMS project is a success, not a struggle!

🎧 S01 E16: The Real ROI of Lab Informatics: Shifting the Conversation to Get Buy-In From Leadership

Are you a lab manager struggling to secure budget approval for a critical LIMS or ELN project? This episode is your guide to winning over skeptical executive leadership. Host Megan Pettyjohn sits down with informatics expert Tim Histen (CSols), who has led more than 40 lab informatics implementations, to break down how successful teams translate lab needs into language that resonates with CFOs, CEOs, and the broader C-suite.

🎧 S01 E15: Lab of the Future, Today

In this episode of Decoding the Digital Lab, host Lisa Richards (CSols) speaks with Dan DeAlmeida (ZONTAL) to unpack the truth behind today’s most hyped lab technologies. From AI and IoT to VR and the foundational role of the cloud, Dan breaks down which innovations are actually transforming lab operations—and which remain niche.

🎧 S01 E14: FAIR Data in Action: The Foundation for AI and the Future of R&D

Dive into the complexities and immense potential of FAIR data in this episode of Decoding the Digital Lab. Host Becky Stewart (CSols) is joined by expert Nick Lynch to explore why Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable data is far more than a buzzword—it's the critical backbone enabling AI, accelerating research, and transforming modern R&D. Learn how FAIR principles can unlock new value, reduce waste, and future-proof your scientific data ecosystem.

🎧 S01 E13: Unmasking Zombie Apps: Why Dormant Software is a Major Security and Financial Drain

What if the old, forgotten applications in your organization are secretly costing you a fortune and putting your entire network at risk? In this episode of Decoding the Digital Lab, host Lisa Richard (CSols) teams up with David Hunt (ZONTAL) to expose the high-cost reality of “zombie apps” — dormant software with minimal users and massive security vulnerabilities. Tune in to find out if your systems are zombies—and what you can do to put them to rest, finally.

🎧 S01 E12: Made in America: What Does It Really Mean for Chemical and Energy Labs?

Host Megan Pettyjohn talks with CSols CEO Kyle McDuffie about how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and tariffs are reshaping chemical and energy labs. They unpack the rise of onshoring and reshoring, the surge in U.S. manufacturing projects, and what it all means for QA/QC functions and informatics systems.

🎧 S01 E11: LIMS Hosting Models Explained: On-Prem, Cloud, and SaaS

In this episode, we break down what different LIMS hosting models—on-prem, cloud, and SaaS—really mean for the end user. Hear how each option impacts user empowerment, collaboration, and your lab’s ability to adapt in a fast-changing environment.

🎧 S01 E10: Don't Get Locked In: Key Considerations for LIMS Hosting

This must-listen episode explores a hot topic for lab managers and IT professionals: moving a LIMS to the cloud. Our host digs into the unvarnished truth about what you need to know before making the leap, helping you weigh the benefits, challenges, and critical considerations in cloud adoption.

🎧 S01 E9: How will AI enhance our innovation and accelerate R&D?