Freezer box tube storage templates

As I settle in to my new postdoc position, in a relatively newly established lab,  I've been setting up my lab management techniques.

One of the things that's always bothered me is the best way to record what tubes are in which box in the freezer. On one hand, a straight up list is most convenient for typing and copying, while on the other a table showing what's in which position is more intuitive and convenient for printing.

In my previous labs I've always worked with existing templates, or within a particular framework. This time around though it's a reasonably fresh start – and I'm also still in that lag phase where I'm still waiting for most of my reagents to be delivered – so I thought I'd take the opportunity to whip up a nice solution that addresses both issues before I lay down too many tubes.

The fruits of my labour can be downloaded from GitHub. 

Basically the idea aims to combine the ease of entry of a simple vertical table, with the easy visualisation of a coordinate table system. So you can copy and paste rows of data on the tall table on the left, then the spreadsheet auto-fills in the appropriate cells on the table on the right which can then be selected and printed for pasting into your lab book. 

If you don't like the exact entry fields that I used you can also change the headings of the table on the left. I would however encourage you to use some marker of the appropriate lab book entry, which is something many forms (including my old ones) omit: in an ideal world, given any tube you should be able to find out all it's information (or vice versa), so this information is vital.

There's a 9x9 and a 10x10 format available. If anyone does use it and have any thoughts I'd love to hear about it.

One laboratory, en suite sauna

In lieu of an actual proper scientific blogpost this week, here I recount a recent lab horror story that struck me. With thanks to my labmates sending me the freezer traces:

Sunday evening. Kicking back at home, something vaguely distracting on the telly. Doing the chores, which on this occasion included last minute packing in preparation for storing our belongings before leaving the country. Everything was all on track for a nice quiet and productive night in. Until a phone vibrates.

20:08, G: “Hello team. Freezer temp has alarmed at -59 just now. Anyone using it? Anyone around in lab?”

Hmm that's a bother. Hopefully someone's just pulling a long weekend shift, maybe came in to bank a long point in a time course and was just being a bit slow to close the freezer after. If that's the case then they'll close it and this will blow over. Let's just wait a while and see who's there...anyone?

20:15, D: “The other freezer in that room is reading -62, might just be hot in there”

Oh bugger, now they're both going. Luckily these alerts also go to a lab manager, he's a good guy, always on the ball, he'll sort it.

Except nope, no reply. Wait, is that it levelling out?

Hope indeed!

21:04, G: “sorry to report, there was no plateau - i think we have to do something tonight”

Double bugger, because guess who lives closest?

21:19, me: “I am nearby ”

21:20, me: “If emergency action is called for”

In I go, let's see how bad it is on the ground... And it's sweltering. No AC. No air movement. A small room with six giant -80s, all shrieking in concert if not in sync.

The blue ribbon rises as the sweat rolls down...

Running around, begging security for help, ringing managers, moaning on Whatsapp, come on come on, let's check the thermometer again...

Scorchio.

It would have kept rising except here I propped open the fire door from the freezer room into the neighbouring lab, corridor, and convinced security to come and open the fire door to outside for a moment, giving a few blessed minutes of relief.

It doesn't last. The fire alarm decides to join the chorus, and thus the external door must close.

We need to move this cursed muggy miasma of stale heat, but where to go, and how to get there? Enter our trusty friend, the humble wedge. Let's prop open another door into the lab next door, knocking the smug grin off its air-conditioned face.

The good news starts to filter in.

Down to 39.5ºC on the thermometer; still fit for a steam room, but going in the right direction – we just need to speed this up. Let's go lab rustling!

Now we've got some circulation. It's still hot as heck, like standing in front of a giant hairdrier, but at least it's moving.

And there was much rejoicing

22:58, D: “Second Alert cancelled, you are a hero Jamie”
23:06, T: “Jamie = hero 🏆”
23:08, G: “Good thing he's not leaving for Boston or something...”
23:09, G2: “Brilliant! Thanks Jamie!”
23:09, Me: “Room is 38 now, so I think I can go home”

Lauded in the Whatsapp group, my name will be rejoiced throughout the lab, and I get to go home to continue packing my belongings. All in a day's work, for The Postdoc That Lives Nearest The Lab!