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Mobile Laboratories

A mobile, interdisciplinary facility for light microscopy, flow cytometry, and electron microscopy preparation

The EMBL Mobile Laboratories bring cutting-edge technology and methodology to the field, enabling novel approaches and experiments in a field research setting and are supporting sample processing, and data integration.

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Overview 

The EMBL mobile laboratory fleet includes:

  • Sampling processing Laboratory (SPL) – a medium size van equipped for sample processing, documentation and storage.
  • Advanced Mobile Laboratory (AML) – a fully equipped molecular lab, outfitted with cutting-edge instrumentation for in-depth analysis.

We can host workshops, courses and scientific training and the Advanced Mobile Lab is a fantastic platform for outreach and public engagement.

The Mobile Labs were born from the TREC expedition where standardization throughout Europe and access to methodologies otherwise not available were imperative. For more information visit the TREC Expedition website.

The Mobile Laboratories are an outgoing service facility that can work with you on site. If you are interested in working with us, please have a look at our facility guidelines for more information and contact us.

Mission Statement 

Mission Statement 

EMBL’s Mobile laboratories is a core facility dedicated to both, supporting the researchers at EMBL with the highest level of service, but also to advancing field-based biology by providing immediate access to cutting-edge technologies where they are most needed. 

We aim to 

  • Bring advanced molecular and cell biology tools directly into the field, enabling research in remote or under-resourced areas.
  • Enable on-site experiments and real-time readout.
  • Foster collaboration by connecting researchers.
  • Standardize sampling, data acquisition, and analysis across diverse locations for large-scale comparable results.
  • Offer high-quality scientific training and services to the wider research community.

Through these efforts, we aim to expand the frontiers of science, facilitate impactful discoveries, and build a more inclusive research ecosystem.

Current Location

The Mobile Labs fleet is currently at the EMBL Heidelberg campus. Credit: Niko Leisch/EMBL
The Mobile Labs Team.
Credit: Niko Leisch/EMBL
The interior of the Advanced Mobile Lab. Credit: Niko Leisch/EMBL
Teaching in the AML. Credit: Massimo del Prete/EMBL
The participants of the EMBO course – Imaging Marine Organisms Across Scale in Napoli, in front of the AML. Credit: Massimo del Prete/EMBL
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