METHOD OF OPERATING AN ANALYTICAL LABORATORY

Disclosed herein is a method of operating an analytical laboratory, comprising: recording time at which samples have been first identified; retrieving an order list comprising test orders for the samples; retrieving a degradation limit to each test order; determining sample workflows for each sample; instructing the laboratory instruments to carry out the test orders according to the sample workflows. Determining the sample workflows comprises: i) determining target instruments capable of carrying out the test orders; ii) determining a sequence/ timing of the test orders; iii) calculating an estimated completion time for each test order; iv) determining a lead time for each biological sample and test order; v) prioritizing test orders if the lead time exceeds the degradation limit. Steps ii) to v) are repeated until the lead time doesn't exceed the degradation limit for any of the test orders; or until steps ii) to v) have been repeated for a number N of iterations.