Design for experimentation

Although the introduction of the omics technologies about 20 years ago heralded a paradigm shift in life sciences research, in practice little has changed in the way life scientists conducting their research. Despite the fact that they now have the possibility to obtain genome-wide data, their experimental approaches often are still similar to those from the reductionistic days. This unavoidably will hamper progress, because the data complexity often has a paralyzing effect.

Therefore, proper design for experimentation, taking into account the temporal and spatial axes, will improve life sciences research. For instance, range-finding experiments for exposure doses or recovery time points will have a profound effect on the design of the eventual experiment and thus the obtained results.

We will research and demonstrate that for instance the employment of high-resolution time scales will allow for more insightful biological observations. Also, the development of advanced experimental controls will enhance the value of the generated data and associated results.