SLAS Applied Liquid Handling Boot Camp

June 9-10, 2026

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA

Course Overview

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Do you want to excel at your first job in a laboratory and shorten your learning curve?

Laboratory managers: Do you want to enhance the liquid handling skills of your lab personnel and fast-track their understanding of lab automation?

Enroll in the SLAS Applied Liquid Handling Boot Camp to learn from expert instructors about manual and automated liquid handling, operating automated liquid handling equipment, and drug discovery processes.

This course is essential for scientists at any career stage who have limited or no experience using automated liquid handling equipment.

When: June 9-10, 2026
Where: Carnegie Mellon University, Gates Hillman Complex, 4902 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Course Highlights

What you'll gain from this course:

An increased understanding of automation in laboratory sciences with a specific focus on developing skills needed to run liquid handling automation equipment in an academic, biotech and/or industry setting.
- Exposure to a variety of actively used liquid handling automation equipment in functional automation laboratories
- Participation in hands-on training experiments aimed at understanding the fundamentals of liquid handling
Education and awareness of the drug development and discovery process.
- An overview of the drug development process
- How and why automation and liquid handling biology are essential to the process
Career selection and preparation for a successful transition into liquid handling automation.
- Familiarity with automated liquid handlers
- Hands-on experience programming and troubleshooting protocols
- Opportunity to network with peers and experts in the field

Completion of this course will grant participants the ability to:

Understand the fundamentals of the drug discovery process and how automation is used
Develop and set up a protocol using an automated liquid handler
Assess pipetting accuracy
Understand how liquid classes impact pipetting
Solve common pipetting problems
Determine how to best implement automation in their labs

Course Fees

	Early Bird Rate Through May 11	Advance Rate May 12 - Onwards
Industry	$2125	$2500
Academia/Government (postdoc or higher)	$1700	$2000
Student (Undergrad/Graduate)/Unemployed – Limited seats!	$425	$500

Hear more about the course from former SLAS Scientific Director, Lesley Granberg, PhD, on a special episode of the New Matter podcast.

Benefits for Students and Career Seekers

Enter into a rewarding professional career by acquiring the necessary skills in liquid handling to accelerate the scientific discovery process.

This course is designed for:

Individuals who have completed an undergraduate degree in a science-related field
Anyone looking to upskill to a full-time lab position
Graduate students and post-docs looking to explore a hands-on career in lab automation and drug discovery

This comprehensive course will prepare you for an entry-level position in the growing lab automation and liquid handling field. The course allows for hands-on training on a variety of lab equipment, as well as gold-standard classroom instruction and significant peer group interaction.

Pre-program and post-program knowledge assessments
An introductory self-paced online learning program before the in-person event
A two-day in-person program (approximately one-day classroom with interactive learning modules and one day in an actual lab)
A glossary of terms, quizzes, interactive exercises and resource materials
Wrap-up online learning program
Select office hours with members of our expert faculty for clarification and follow-up
Certificate of completion

Benefits for Companies and Research Institutions

This program is a perfect opportunity to upskill your organization's newly hired or incumbent workers.

This course is ideal for:

Those who have graduated with a science-related undergraduate degree or are in their first lab position
Those looking to excel as an Automated Liquid Handling Specialist or Technician position in a lab
Graduate students and post-docs looking to explore a hands-on career in lab automation and drug discovery

This comprehensive course will prepare participants for an entry-level position in the growing lab automation and liquid handling field. The course allows for hands-on training on a variety of lab equipment, as well as gold-standard classroom instruction and significant peer group interaction.

Pre- and post- knowledge assessments
Self-paced e-learning (online module)
Two-day in-person program (one-day classroom with interactive learning modules; one day in lab)
Includes quizzes, interactive activities and downloadable resources
Glossary of terms and visual glossary with examples of equipment and instruments
Final self-paced e-learning module highlighting critical elements of the program
Certificate of completion

Hotel, Travel and Parking

Hotel Options

Carnegie Mellon University has compiled a selection of nearby hotels to assist participants of the Liquid Handling Boot Camp. Some hotels included in this list offer a discounted rate to CMU visitors. Rates may vary.

View Local Hotel Options

Airport and Ground Transportation
From Carnegie Mellon’s website:
Pittsburgh International Airport is serviced by 14 airlines and offers nonstop service to more than 50 U.S. cities. You can then rent a car or use one of the available bus or car service options to get to campus or your hotel. The airport is an approximate 45-minute drive to campus.

Tip: Pittsburgh has many tunnels, bridges and construction zones that may slow travel to and from the airport. If you are visiting campus in the morning, you are encouraged to fly to Pittsburgh the day before your visit.

Parking
East Campus Garage
5040 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213
East Campus Garage is the most conveniently located campus parking option for course attendees.

View Current Parking Rates

If you are taking a rideshare or taxi, the drop-off is at Gates Hillman Complex, 4902 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213.