About Colm O’Regan and BestLabTech.com
I started BestLabTech.com because I’ve spent my career on both sides of the lab software conversation.
And I think much of what’s published about it is unhelpful to the people who actually have to make the buying decision. Mainly because most of the info comes from the vendor websites themselves, which is (let’s be honest) not exactly unbiased.
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A decade at the bench
I’ve worked as a lab scientist for over 10 years. I trained as a chemist (BSc, Chemistry) before completing a PhD in Materials Science and Nanotechnology at the Tyndall National Institute in Ireland. From there, I took on two postdoctoral positions: the first at the National University of Singapore, the second at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. I went on to work as an electron microscopist at the University of Sheffield in the UK, specialising in transmission electron microscopy.
Across those roles I worked in academic research labs across four countries, used the LIMS, ELN, instrument control, and image analysis software that academic labs rely on, and dealt firsthand with the gap between what vendors promise and what actually works at the bench. I’m a first-author on peer-reviewed papers published by the American Chemical Society and the Royal Society of Chemistry, with additional contributing authorships across the materials science and nanotechnology literature.
A decade on the marketing side
Since 2015, I’ve also worked as a marketing strategist and copywriter for lab technology companies — the LIMS providers, instrumentation manufacturers, automation vendors, and software platforms whose products you’ll see covered on this site. That work has given me an unusual vantage point: I’ve sat in product roadmap meetings, reviewed competitor positioning, and written the sales copy. I know how these companies think about features, pricing, and the buyers they’re trying to reach.
Why this site exists
Most “best lab software” articles you’ll find on Google fall into two camps. They’re either written by a software vendor that conveniently ranks its own product at #1, or they’re written by generalist content marketers who’ve never set foot in a lab.
I wanted a third option: lab tech coverage written by someone who has actually used the tools, understands the science the tools serve, and knows how the vendors operate. The goal of BestLabTech.com is to bridge the gap between lab buyers and vendors, to help scientists, lab managers, and procurement teams cut through the marketing language and find the software and hardware that genuinely fits their workflow, and to help vendors connect with serious buyers who know what they need.
Every article on this site reflects that perspective. Where I have direct hands-on experience with a product, I’ll say so. Where I’m relying on vendor documentation, peer reviews, or interviews with users, I’ll say that too. You can see our review process here for more information.
Get in touch
If you’re a scientist or lab manager evaluating a tool and want a second opinion, or a vendor who’d like to be considered for a future review, you can reach me on LinkedIn or via the contact page.