Laboratory Relocation from UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh to the University of Maryland
USA Lab Movers recently completed another specialized laboratory relocation, moving the research lab of Sunder Sims-Lucas, PhD, from UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh to the University of Maryland.
This project involved much more than simply moving laboratory equipment from one building to another. Our team was responsible for protecting temperature-sensitive research samples, carefully packing laboratory bench materials, and relocating office contents while keeping the entire move organized from Pittsburgh to Maryland.
For research teams, the equipment and materials inside a laboratory often represent years of work. Our job is to make sure that work gets to its new home safely.
Supporting the Research of Sunder Sims-Lucas, PhD
Dr. Sunder Sims-Lucas is a developmental biologist whose research has focused extensively on the kidney and the mechanisms involved in kidney development, injury, and recovery.
His research program has investigated blood flow, oxygenation, vascular development, endothelial progenitor cells, kidney disease, and acute kidney injury.
His work has helped advance the understanding of how the kidney’s vascular system develops, how it responds to injury, and how those biological processes may lead to better approaches for preventing or treating kidney damage.
Research like this depends on samples and materials that cannot simply be replaced if something goes wrong during a move. That makes careful planning and specialized handling especially important during a biomedical research laboratory relocation.
Maintaining -80°C Samples During the Laboratory Move
One of the most important parts of this relocation was the transport of Dr. Sims-Lucas’s -80°C research samples.
Moving frozen biological samples requires a very different approach than a standard commercial move. Temperature integrity has to remain a priority throughout the relocation process, particularly when samples represent ongoing experiments or years of accumulated research.
USA Lab Movers handled the -80°C sample transport as part of the move from Pittsburgh to Maryland, helping maintain the required frozen conditions while the laboratory transitioned to its new location.
Cold chain logistics are one of the most critical services we provide for research institutions. Depending on the requirements of the project, our laboratory relocation capabilities include the transportation of materials maintained at:
-80°C
-20°C
4°C
Liquid nitrogen temperatures
Whether the move is across campus or across the country, the objective is the same: protect the integrity of the science while minimizing disruption to the research team.
Packing the Laboratory Bench
Our scope also included packing the lab’s benchtop materials and research items.
Laboratories contain a huge number of smaller components that are easy to overlook when planning a relocation. Glassware, supplies, accessories, components, small instruments, and everyday bench materials all need to be properly packed, labeled, organized, and delivered to the correct destination.
Our crews specialize in laboratory environments, so we approach packing differently than a traditional household or office moving company.
Everything is packed with the eventual setup in mind.
A well-organized laboratory move should make it easier for researchers to get back to work once they arrive at their new facility. Clear labeling, proper packing materials, and an organized load plan can make a significant difference when hundreds of individual laboratory items are being relocated.
Office Packing and Relocation
The project also included packing and relocating Dr. Sims-Lucas’s office.
Principal investigator relocations frequently involve both laboratory and office components. Rather than coordinating separate vendors, USA Lab Movers can manage the entire relocation under one scope.
That allows the research team to focus on the transition while we handle the physical move.
For this project, we coordinated the laboratory materials, frozen samples, bench contents, and office contents as part of one organized relocation from UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh to the University of Maryland.
Why Specialized Laboratory Movers Matter
A laboratory is not a normal commercial space.
Research laboratories can contain sensitive scientific equipment, frozen biological samples, fragile glassware, specialized instruments, chemicals, refrigerators, freezers, and materials that may be difficult or impossible to replace.
That is why choosing an experienced laboratory moving company matters.
At USA Lab Movers, our work is focused specifically on laboratories and scientific environments. We understand that the value of a research move isn’t limited to the replacement cost of the equipment.
Sometimes the most valuable thing we’re moving is the research itself.
Our laboratory relocation services include:
Complete laboratory relocations
University and hospital laboratory moving
-80°C frozen sample transportation
Cold chain logistics
Laboratory equipment moving
Scientific equipment packing
Custom crating
Rigging and heavy equipment moving
Benchtop equipment relocation
Freezer and refrigerator transportation
Laboratory packing and unpacking
Office relocation
Chemical transportation
Laboratory decontamination coordination
Short- and long-term laboratory storage
Interstate laboratory moves
International laboratory relocations
Pittsburgh to Maryland Laboratory Relocation
This move is another example of the university and research institution relocations USA Lab Movers performs throughout the United States.
From coordinating a single principal investigator’s lab move to relocating an entire research facility, every project has different requirements.
A move involving -80°C samples requires cold chain planning.
A move involving large analytical instruments may require custom crating or rigging.
A move involving hundreds or thousands of assets requires detailed inventory management, labeling, sequencing, and project management.
The key is understanding the science first and building the move around it.
For Dr. Sims-Lucas’s relocation, that meant safely moving his research materials from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Maryland while keeping his frozen samples protected and his laboratory and office contents organized throughout the process.
What Dr. Sims-Lucas Had to Say About USA Lab Movers
For us, a successful laboratory relocation is about more than getting everything safely from point A to point B. We also want to take as much stress as possible off the researchers and their teams during what can be a major transition.
After the move, Dr. Sims-Lucas shared his experience working with USA Lab Movers:
“Working with USA Lab Movers and Matt Siracusa was an amazing experience and really reduced my stress levels and anxiety about my move. He personally flew into Pittsburgh to oversee the job and was responsive and attentive to all my needs. I would highly recommend him and his company for future moves.”— Sunder Sims-Lucas, PhD
I personally flew into Pittsburgh to oversee this relocation because projects involving irreplaceable research samples and sensitive laboratory materials deserve that level of attention.
From the -80°C sample transport to packing the laboratory benches and office, our goal was to make the transition to the University of Maryland as smooth as possible for Dr. Sims-Lucas and his team.
Protecting Science in Motion
We appreciate the opportunity to support Dr. Sunder Sims-Lucas and his research team during this next chapter.
Every laboratory relocation we perform reinforces the same idea: researchers should be able to concentrate on their work without having to worry about whether their equipment, samples, and materials will make it safely to their next laboratory.
That’s what we’re here for.
USA Lab Movers specializes in laboratory relocations for universities, hospitals, biotechnology companies, pharmaceutical companies, research institutes, and private laboratories throughout the United States and internationally.
If you’re planning a laboratory move, university lab relocation, research facility relocation, or temperature-controlled sample shipment, our team can manage the process from planning and packing through transportation and delivery.
USA Lab Movers
Protecting Science in Motion.
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