Mobile laboratory

The TREC expedition is supported by the EMBL Mobile Laboratory, which carries the necessary equipment for sample processing and metadata acquisition. The Mobile Laboratory brings cutting-edge technology and methodology to the field to enable unprecedented experimental standardisation, high-end fresh sample processing, and data integration.

The mobile laboratory includes:

• Vehicles that can access different terrains of the sampling sites to support on-site sample collection, immediate processing, and metadata collection. 
• Sampling van – a medium size van equipped for sample processing and storage that will be temporarily installed at the partner research institutes and marine stations.
• Advanced Mobile Laboratory (AML) – mobile experimental lab space with larger instrumentation that will visit selected partner institutes to support TREC scientific projects and  provide access and support for the use of the mobile laboratory equipment as a service to local researchers.

EMBRC marine stations and other collaborating research organisations along the TREC route provide crucial infrastructural support to the expedition facilitating the Mobile laboratories’ operations.

Workshops and scientific training are being organised at selected visiting sites in collaboration with the local institutions.

Mobile Service equipment

With the input of collaborating marine stations and partner institutions, EMBL is always looking to update and improve the equipment and technologies that are part of the Mobile Services.

The equipment and technologies that form part of the Mobile Services enable scientists from EMBL and collaborating marine stations and partner institutes to perform outstanding laboratory research, in direct proximity to the field. Cutting-edge light microscopy, sample preparation for (cryo)-electron microscopy, and single-cell genomics are made available at each of the TREC’s service stopover sites. Additionally, advanced tools for environmental measurements from soil, air, sediment, and water samples are also part of the standard equipment.

Watch a walk-through VIDEO of Advanced Mobile Laboratory and its current equipment.