Mesa Forensic Laboratory replaced almost every major piece of its DNA workflow at once: new quantification kits, new amplification chemistries, new instruments, new thermocyclers. Every system passed validation. Turnaround times got worse.
None of it was a science problem. The methods worked exactly as validated. What nobody planned for was staffing, training schedules, and a caseload that didn’t pause to let everyone catch up on four new systems at once.
Raman Sandhu-Kirmer, of the Biology Unit at Mesa Forensic Laboratory, will present the case study at ISHI 37, in a talk called “When Innovation Meets Reality: Lessons from a Complete Forensic DNA Workflow Overhaul.”
Below, Raman gets into what she’d actually tell a lab planning the same kind of overhaul: what to plan for beyond validation, and the stories about staffing and scheduling that don’t usually make it into a validation report.
What first drew you to this case, question, or problem?
Mostly survival. Our lab decided to replace almost every major component of the forensic DNA workflow at once- new quantification, new amplification chemistries, new instruments, new thermocyclers. It sounded exciting on paper. Living through it was something else entirely. Looking back, if someone asked me to do the same thing again in three or four months, I’d probably ask whether a lobotomy was covered under the project budget. It was an incredible learning experience, though, and one that’s worth sharing because plenty of laboratories are heading down the same path.
What's the single most important idea you want people to walk away with?
Validation is only the beginning. You can prove a method performs beautifully yet still struggle to improve laboratory performance if the implementation isn’t planned just as carefully. The science can be ready long before the organization is.
What are common misconceptions this talk addresses?
One of the biggest misconceptions is that adopting better technology automatically leads to faster turnaround times and greater efficiency. Sometimes it does. Sometimes it exposes every weakness in your staffing, training, scheduling, and workflow. Another misconception is that if validation goes well, implementation will be straightforward. Those are two very different phases of the journey.
What's the most interesting or unexpected thing you found doing this work?
How quickly operational challenges can outweigh technical ones. We spent months proving the methods worked exactly as intended. Then the biggest hurdles turned out to be things like coordinating staff, managing resources, and keeping the work moving while everyone was validating and learning new systems. The instruments behaved exactly as expected. Humans, schedules, and reality had other plans.
Who would benefit most from hearing this talk?
Anyone involved in implementing new technology in a forensic laboratory. Technical leaders, supervisors, managers, validation scientists, quality staff, and anyone who has ever heard the words, “Let’s try to roll it out by next quarter.” Even if you’re only planning one major change instead of several, there are lessons here that can save a lot of frustration.
What's one thing from this talk people can actually use once they're back at work, whether that's a technique, a case example, or a new way of thinking about the evidence?
I hope people leave with a better framework for planning implementation instead of focusing exclusively on validation. Think through staffing, training, communication, equipment availability, and workflow capacity before the first case goes live. A successful validation doesn’t guarantee a smooth launch, but thoughtful planning can prevent a lot of avoidable headaches.
What are you most looking forward to at ISHI this year, besides your own session?
Catching up with colleagues from other labs and hearing the stories that never make it into published validation studies. ISHI is one of the few places where people are honest about what worked, what didn’t, and what they’d do differently. Those conversations are often just as valuable as the presentations.
What's your best advice for someone attending ISHI for the first time?
Talk to people. The presentations are excellent, but some of the best ideas come from conversations over coffee or between sessions. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, introduce yourself, and compare experiences. Chances are someone else has already solved the problem you’re wrestling with – or is wrestling with the same one.
What do you enjoy doing when you're away from the office/lab?
Mostly, not peopling. After a week in the lab, I have a healthy appreciation for places where nobody expects me to solve a problem or be a responsible adult.