Professionals at Medlab Middle East 2025 discuss how to automate the laboratory. Here are their insights, regarding middleware and data management solutions, AI-driven lab automation, and Mindray’s Lab Vision 2030.
February 3-6, 2025—Medlab fuels medical laboratory growth across the Middle East region and beyond with exhibitors from over 40 countries, showcasing inventory from eight different product categories. Focused on laboratory medicine, diagnostics, and public health solutions, the event serves as a platform for industry professionals and policymakers. It provides an opportunity to collaborate, share knowledge, and drive innovation in diagnostic technologies and laboratory medicine, particularly in addressing global health challenges and outbreak preparedness.
The organizers scheduled conferences with topics in line with today’s advancements, dividing the lineup into tracks that focus on different elements within the industry. The conference has 12-CME-accredited live in-person conferences and features the Women’s Health Leadership Forum, Precision Medicine Leadership Forum, ABC Health Forum, Global Lab Leaders’ Breakfast Forum, and the GCC Lab Leaders’ Breakfast Forum.
Going Beyond Machinery: Encompass Middleware & Data Management Solutions
Automating a laboratory requires going beyond machinery by including the entire process which includes sample handling, sorting, and distribution, said Dr. Sherif Mofeed, the lab director at Saudi German Hospital, explained at the conference he held during Medlab.
Only last year, the Saudi German Hospital launched its state-of-the-art on-site diagnostics laboratory in Dubai. The new automated facility integrates cutting-edge technology with patient-centered care for faster, more accurate diagnostics.
Dr Mofeed spoke to the audience about how they could expand the scope of automation within their laboratories. According to him, automating a lab should encompass middleware and data management solutions that streamline the result reporting process, while ensuring seamless integration and efficient data flow. By automating labs, hospitals can improve productivity, reduce errors, and improve STAT turnaround times, while ensuring consistency of TATs and a higher quality of results.
“Everything can be solved with automation to reduce the error,” he said during his presentation on how and why labs must be automated.
He explained that labs make up between 3-5% of a hospital’s annual operating budget. That said, labs workloads are growing quickly with a 66% increase in healthcare consumption per capita since 2000.
PandOmics: A Model for AI-Driven Lab Automation in Drug Discovery
At the event, Alex Aliper, President of Insilico Medicine, showcased PandOmics, an AI-powered platform revolutionizing drug discovery through automation. The system analyzes multi-omics data—including genomics and proteomics—to rapidly identify therapeutic targets and biomarkers. By integrating deep learning and bioinformatics, PandOmics eliminates the need for manual data analysis, significantly accelerating research timelines.
“Lab automation is inevitable, we need to embrace it,” Aliper emphasized during his presentation, underscoring the shift towards AI-driven efficiency in biomedical research.
PandOmics connects seamlessly with robotic laboratories, automating target validation, compound screening, and genetic modifications. This feedback loop refines AI predictions in real time, making drug discovery faster and more precise. The platform’s biological knowledge graph and ChatPandaGPT further enhance insights by mapping gene-disease relationships and assisting researchers in refining hypotheses. With successes like identifying colorectal cancer targets in 14 days and repurposing an FDA-approved drug for endometriosis, PandOmics demonstrates how AI and automation are transforming lab research into a high-speed, precision-driven process.
Mindray’s Lab Vision 2030: The Future of Smarter, More Efficient Labs
Mindray’s Lab Vision 2030 is a forward-thinking initiative designed to shape the future of laboratory diagnostics by integrating automation, AI, and smart IT solutions. With laboratories facing increasing demands for efficiency, accuracy, and cost control, Mindray is addressing these challenges through innovative technologies. The company announced the launch of Lab Vision 2030 in November 2024 and presented it at Medlab in Dubai.
The Total Lab Automation System streamlines high-volume sample processing, while the CAL 8000 automates hematology diagnostics from sample collection to analysis, enhancing both speed and accuracy. The MC-80 provides a compact and efficient solution for laboratories with space and operational constraints. Additionally, Mindray’s Inno Lab IT Solution centralizes management, quality control, and real-time monitoring, allowing laboratories to optimize operations across hospital networks and diagnostic centers.
Beyond automation, Lab Vision 2030 focuses on improving diagnostic precision through advanced testing solutions. Mindray’s PLT solution integrates multiple methodologies to enhance platelet diagnostics, reducing errors and improving re-examination accuracy. Their high-sensitivity cardiac Troponin I (hs-cTnI) solution provides early and precise detection of cardiac conditions, aiding in faster and more effective patient management. Lab Vision 2030 is not just about technological innovation—it’s about collaboration, bringing together industry experts to unlock data-driven insights that will transform laboratory medicine. With this initiative, Mindray is setting a new standard for the future of clinical diagnostics.
