A SWAP-SHOP has opened for business giving scientists a painless way of tracking down products vital to their research. Some groups may spend years creating a cell line or microbial strain that鈥檚 lying on another lab鈥檚 shelf.
The biological 鈥渆xchange鈥� is the brainchild of a group of researchers in Memphis, Tennessee, who have set up a company called Link-a-Lab.
鈥淲e are promoting a sharing scheme by putting providers in direct contact with purchasers. Everyone will benefit,鈥� says Eugene Sokourenko, head of the new company. 鈥淥ver 80 per cent of scientists are enthusiastic.鈥�
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Once researchers have created a biological product they can often generate unlimited supplies. But Sokourenko says that scientists lack the communication channels needed for efficient exchange of such biological materials.
Link-a-Lab will help scientists to exploit their biological products by promoting collaborations.