What Impact Has Covid-19 Had On Scientific Research?

The world of scientific research is one of constant evolution and revolution. The most recent one we have seen has been the implementation of artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation into laboratories.

Over the last decade, there has been a major expansion of automation in these fields, with a study showing almost 9 out of 10 (86-89 per cent) of biomedical papers use at least one form of automation method as part of its research.

However, with the significant effect the Covid-19 pandemic has had to the world of scientific research, will the expansion of automation become even more rapid in the name of safety?

The Shutdown Of Research

In March 2020, there were widespread lockdowns of a range of workplaces, which in the case of several laboratories not researching Covid-19 led to shutdowns of several months. This would have a significant effect on research, as well as the production and sale of lab instruments, telemarketing and the rest of the scientific research ecosystem.

However, many laboratories were able to adapt and incorporate remote services that allowed scientists to continue their research despite social distancing guidelines placing a halt on certain laboratories.

For labs working directly on diagnostics and research into Covid-19, automation became a vital tool to boost capacity, with automation tools being provided to several major lab projects.

The urgency that has been caused by the pandemic meant that automation was needed to scale up fast enough to process the many thousands of samples per day.

Reducing Barriers To Entry

Many scientists have understood for a long time that an automated approach to research is of significant benefit to research, as it allows exacting conditions to replicated and repetitive tasks can be programmed and completed at scale.

There is a major obstacle in the way of many labs incorporating automation and that is the huge cost of many laboratory systems. However, depending on the nature of the experiment, there is the potential of less expensive automated lab instruments that can perform basic research tasks without the need for expensive equipment.

The creative use of open-source electronic modules, basic robotic arms and 3D printers are effective as a basic introduction of automation to laboratories, particularly with the development of increasingly easy to use scripting interfaces.

Going Forward

Automation in the life sciences is only going to expand, particularly in the hunt for a Covid-19 vaccine.

It should be said, however, that at no point will automation and machine learning replace scientists and researchers. Ultimately, with AI and automation, they are only as effective and useful as the data that is provided to them.

To truly take advantage of an automated lab, the rest of the systems for data collection must also be suited to taking advantage of automatically generated data, to generate the types of insights that would make it worthwhile.

Robotic machinery, however, is incredibly flexible and an increased focus on usability has made programming and operating simpler than ever. There is a need for automation we have already seen in the Covid-19 experiments, and it has shown that the pandemic will lead to a leap forward for the automated lab.