Laboratory Chronicles: April 2026 - Issue 3

Laboratory Chronicles: April 2026 - Issue 3

In the world of research, even small tweaks can change everything. In this issue, we follow those tweaks—practical tips, insightful ideas, and clever shortcuts that quietly turn challenges into wins. Your lab, your rules… just a bit more efficient.

I Took the Time Machine for a Spin again ……….

This month, I fired up the TAILS Time Machine and steered it straight into history. The scene? A world convinced that disease was caused by bad smells, bad luck, or angry spirits. People were guessing, fumbling, blaming anything but the real culprits—tiny, invisible microorganisms quietly running the show. Watching it unfold felt like peeking behind the curtain of a really bad magic trick. And it hit me: every rule we follow today in biosafety and biosecurity is just centuries of learning not to be that clueless. History might be messy, but we’ve learned to be smarter—mostly.

A small discovery… with slightly massive consequences.

Consider this your invitation to hop aboard and follow the journey. It’s worth it.

It’s a reminder that much of what we now consider standard practice—biosafety protocols, hygiene measures, containment strategies—rests on this single shift in understanding. In other words, everything we do today in laboratory animal science quietly traces back to that turning point.

I. Back to the Present: A Smoother System

After being returned (unceremoniously) to the present, I’ve made a few refinements to the TAILS website.

Nothing dramatic—just the kind of upgrades that make life easier. Navigation is more intuitive, resources are easier to access, and the overall experience is… less of a scavenger hunt. Which, frankly, was overdue.

II. New Addition: Biosafety & Biosecurity

I’ve also added a new course offering: Biosafety and Biosecurity in Laboratory Animal Facilities.

This course is accredited with the South African Veterinary Council, awarding 14 CPD points, and is delivered as a 2-day workshop.

The focus is practical and grounded—covering the systems, behaviours, and regulatory frameworks required to maintain safe, compliant laboratory environments. The kind of knowledge that doesn’t just sit in a file somewhere, but actively shapes how a facility functions day-to-day.

III.  Pharmacology: Opening the Blueprint

The Applied Pharmacology course outline will soon available online. Keep an eye out for it in our LEARNING LAB 

Actually—all course outlines will be freely accessible through the lab, as they become available. I’ve made a conscious decision to remove the guesswork. You can explore the structure, content, and scope before committing. No surprises, no ambiguity.

IV.  The BYTE Series: Small 

I’ve also introduced a set of BYTE Series Cards, now available as free downloads.

These are concise, visual reference tools designed to support learning across all courses. They’re not meant to replace detailed material—but they do a very good job of reinforcing it when you need a quick reminder (or when your brain decides it has reached capacity for the day).

V. Final Thoughts from This End of Time

If there’s a theme to this month’s entry, it’s this: small shifts matter.

Whether it’s a historical breakthrough like germ theory, a refinement to a system, or a simple reference card that makes information easier to retain—these incremental changes shape the bigger picture.

I’ll keep refining, building, and occasionally time-travelling (apparently).

Before the machine disappears again, I’ll leave this with you—

If you could choose the next destination, where should we go?

What would you like to see added, improved, or explored on the TAILS platform?

Consider this an open invitation to help shape both the journey and the destination.

TAILS Training and Innovative Lab Solutions

Enhancing knowledge. Supporting science. Strengthening standards.