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Lab Skills

Practical Laboratory Skills

A hands-on introduction to essential laboratory techniques at Advance, Harwell. Build confidence in safe laboratory working, equipment use, pipetting, reagent preparation and good laboratory practice.

  • Lab Skills
  • 1 day
Tutor
Alex Hardgrave
When
  • 18 November 2026
  • 20 January 2027
  • 7 April 2027
  • 15 September 2027
  • 24 November 2027
Availability
Open for booking
Cost
£400
Duration
1 day

Course Overview

Having the knowledge and confidence to work safely in the laboratory is an essential skill for all staff working in laboratories. This course will cover basic theoretical and practical laboratory skills including preparing COSHH risk assessments, good laboratory practice, use of fume hoods/biosafety cabinets, centrifuges and other laboratory equipment, pipetting skills, using balances and preparing reagents and solutions.

A sustainability module is also included to highlight ways to reduce the environmental impact of laboratory work. Participants will explore practical ways to improve sustainability in the laboratory by reducing energy consumption and minimising the use of plastics and water and promoting more sustainable supply chain practices.

Who is this for?

  • Research Staff
  • Technical Staff and students new to the laboratory environment
  • Experienced personnel looking to refresh their skills

Includes

  • Prepare and understand the purpose of Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) risk assessment (RA) forms
  • Understand the importance of good laboratory practice, including choosing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and maintaining accurate laboratory records
  • Correctly use fume hoods, biosafety cabinets, centrifuges and other general laboratory equipment
  • Choose the correct pipette for your task and perform common techniques
  • Set up and use balances correctly
  • Prepare reagents and solutions
  • Adjust the pH of solutions
  • Incorporate sustainability considerations into laboratory work to support efficient and environmentally responsible research

Course details

Where

This course takes place at Advance, Harwell. You will be working in dedicated training spaces designed for practical scientific learning.

Format

This is a 1 day practical course built around active participation, demonstrations, and supervised technical work.

Level

Suitable for learners who want to translate scientific knowledge into stronger practical capability.

Availability

Open for booking

Cost

Course fee: £400. Contact the team if you need help exploring funding or team bookings.

Tutors

Meet Your Tutor

This course is taught by active practitioners who bring current methods, practical judgement, and real laboratory context into every session.

Alex Hardgrave

Alex Hardgrave

Clinical Pathology Manager at the Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell

PhD in Immunology, Lancaster University - research focused on antibiotics, macrophages and intestinal hormones. MSci in Biomedicine, Lancaster University.

Alex Hardgrave is the Clinical Pathology Manager at the Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell. His day job involves managing a hospital lab for research, providing clinical-style high throughput analysis of blood and urine samples for researchers across the UK and beyond. As well as high throughput analysis, the lab also provides bespoke flow cytometry services and immunoassays.

He completed a PhD in Immunology at Lancaster University in collaboration with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, studying the effects of certain specialised antibiotics on the immune system. Principally focusing on macrophages in both a murine and cell model, this developed his expertise in in-vivo and in-vitro immunology research.

Since completing his PhD, Alex has worked primarily in the academic research environment, in areas ranging from cancer to parasitic worm infections. He has been at the MLC for just over three years, during which time he has led the teaching and development of the Lab Skills courses at Advance. He uses his diverse experience to ensure lab skills course attendees receive high-quality training in the most up to date lab practices.

  • Lab Skills

What You Will Take Away

The course is designed to give learners practical outcomes they can carry back into their own work immediately.

The practical activities were engaging and the trainers were very helpful and friendly.

Prepare and understand the purpose of Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) risk assessment (RA) forms

Understand the importance of good laboratory practice, including choosing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and maintaining accurate laboratory records

Correctly use fume hoods, biosafety cabinets, centrifuges and other general laboratory equipment

Accreditation And Recognition

This training is approved by the Royal Society of Biology. Training course approval is an independent review process that recognises relevant, high quality training. Upon completion of this course, attendees can claim 21 CPD points.

Royal Society of Biology

In Their Own Words

General

“The practical activities were engaging and the trainers were very helpful and friendly.”

General

“Very engaging and a good refresher for lab skills. Useful advice from trainers and lots of resources provided.”

General

“The trainers were knowledgeable, approachable, and explained each technique clearly, making it easy to understand and apply the skills in a laboratory setting. I would highly recommend this course to anyone looking to develop or refresh their practical laboratory skills. Thank you to the team for delivering such an excellent training experience.”

General

“I thought the trainers were great teachers, I liked the atmosphere - it felt easy to ask questions - and everything had been thoroughly prepared in advance so everything ran smoothly.”

Next

Build on Your Foundation

Deepen your skills with related courses

Questions

What should I bring?

Bring a notebook and any device you regularly use for work. We provide the equipment and materials needed for the practical sessions.

Is prior experience required?

The course is designed for learners who want to build or deepen practical capability. If you are unsure about your level, contact us and we can advise.

Do you offer group bookings?

Yes. We can discuss group bookings, scheduling, and practical requirements for teams or organisations.

Ready to Advance Your Practice?

Secure your place or register your interest today