If you do environmental research in biorepositories or elsewhere, you can sometimes fall into the monotony of studying samples and forget what you’re there to do. The truth is, your job is crucial to the lives of millions, and you owe it to the people you’re helping to have the right tools for the job.

When you go to the lab tomorrow, share this information with your employees and coworkers and help your entire team understand the two most important aspects of environmental research. It could be the the difference between life and death.

Your research is saving lives. You should already know this, but the samples you deal with are more than just numbers in a computer system. Translational research help convert scientific findings into palpable treatments and cures for real diseases. At the beginning of 2014, there were almost 14.5 million people alive with a history of cancer, and there will be about 1.7 million new cancer cases diagnosed this year alone. The end-user of your research is not the doctors that use your findings, but the millions of suffering people who benefit from the treatments that come from them.

You need the best technology possible to do your job. In order to maintain consistent sample tracking that will help you work to the best of your abilities, it’s important that your lab has the best sample management software possible. New biobanking software is being introduced to help better track samples and deliver them to the right labs to perform the right kind of research. While 2/3 of all biobanks were established in the last decade, about 17% have been in existence for over 20 years. Many of these older labs seem to fall behind in sample tracking because they don’t have the most advanced software possible. It is imperative to invest in a system that will not only make your job easier, but enhance the quality of your research.

Environmental research is the first step in finding cures for the millions of people who suffer from different ailments every single day. The digital age has made it easier for you do to your research, and it is important to take advantage of these drastic advances in biobanking software to produce the best work possible.