The clinical laboratory workforce is on the brink of an underappreciated crisis.
In the U.S. alone, there's a shortfall of 20,000 to 25,000 lab technologists, straining core labs responsible for processing thousands of patient samples amid health emergencies. Burnout afflicts 85% of professionals, with 44% contemplating exit, fueled by unrelenting workloads and chronic understaffing, according to the American Society for Clinical Pathology. And in today's political climate, these trends show no signs of reversal.
It's no stretch to see the stakes: Clinical labs process vast volumes of samples daily, testing for COVID-19, STDs, influenza, and beyond. At the heart of this is polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a cornerstone of molecular biology that functions like a high-fidelity photocopier for DNA, enabling precise pathogen detection worldwide. Yet, as labs buckle under mounting pressure, delays in results can jeopardize lives.
This is why I advocate for genuine end-to-end automation: a solution that slashes labor demands, curbs errors, and scales seamlessly for routine diagnostics, emerging threats, or — heaven forbid — another global pandemic.
As a former molecular biologist, I've lived the grind of lab work in South Korea, which can be tedious and, for lack of a better word, boring. Having run countless PCR assays, I know firsthand how hours evaporate on repetitive steps, in which that energy could have been better spent fueling more innovative pursuits. The multi-instrument dance — from micropipettes and vortex mixers to thermal cyclers and gel electrophoresis, often from disparate vendors — demands meticulous calibration and sterility to avert contamination or inconsistencies. Introduce human variability across these layers, and the risk of flawed results becomes exponentially magnified.
Back in the day during my graduate school years in South Korea, I pulled many late nights performing PCR runs with multiple instruments, which, at the time, required a lot of manual labor.
This urgency echoed through the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM 2025) conference in Chicago, where automation dominated the exhibit hall's lavish displays. Companies showcased artificial intelligence-driven volume management and systems extending walk-away time, signaling incremental progress toward easing workloads and sustaining test throughput. Yet, many offerings felt like modest evolutions and/or partial automation approaches that are still tethered to human intervention.
Amid this, one exhibitor from South Korea stood out: Seegene, a company that specializes in molecular diagnostics. Its booth consistently drew attention, with attendees pausing to watch a demo inside a glass-enclosed lab (roughly the size of a city bus shelter) that was processing clinical samples via PCR.
And the kicker? There wasn’t a single human lab technician in sight. Instead, robotic arms, scanners, and liquid handlers orchestrated a choreographed dance, handling samples round-the-clock in an effortless fashion. To me, this concept was encroaching upon the world of science fiction.
Seegene’s CURECA, a literally 100% PCR automation platform, offers a thought-provoking preview of tomorrow’s labs at ADLM 2025.
What ADLM attendees and I just witnessed was the U.S. debut of CURECA, the world's first fully automated PCR system — from raw sample input to final results — with zero human intervention. Far from the typical PCR workflow, CURECA represents a paradigm shift for high-throughput testing. Users simply load diverse samples — including blood, urine, stool, sputum — into a drawer, and CURECA instantly recognizes and takes over by identifying the sample types and automating sample preparation without manual labor.
CURECA’s automated sample preparation addresses a critical bottleneck in traditional PCR that’s prone to human error and varies by sample type. What’s more, you don’t need to be a trained lab technician to run PCR on patient samples. Almost any lab or hospital staff member can collect samples and load them into the machine with ease. This streamlined approach, driven by advanced engineering, conquers sample prep's complexities, thereby outpacing competitors who've partially automated PCR downstream, but faltered at the starting sample prep stage. It's the true end-to-end autonomy labs have long needed, but rarely have ever seen.
By enabling rapid, high-volume sample processing, CURECA could also reshape public health monitoring — giving health authorities the speed needed to track diseases and respond decisively to outbreaks. This broader potential was a focal point at Seegene's press conference, which attracted a large audience of journalists and attendees seeking details on commercialization, specs, and the company's ambition to eradicate diseases through advanced diagnostics.
The press conference with Seegene’s CEO, Dr. Jong-Yoon Chun, drew in many curious journalists and conference attendees at ADLM 2025.
In the face of a deepening clinical workforce crisis, in which shortages and burnout threaten the very backbone of molecular diagnostics, platforms such as CURECA stand out by directly confronting the delays and errors that imperil patient outcomes. By automating the once-unyielding complexities of PCR from end to end, Seegene isn’t just alleviating today’s strains, it’s reimaging the lab as a self-sustaining ecosystem — one that empowers technicians to pivot toward discovery rather than drudgery.
In an era where policy uncertainties loom large, such bold engineering reminds us that true progress in life sciences hinges on ingenuity that scales with human needs. It’s this fusion of technology and foresight that will not only bridge our current gaps, but also propel us towards a healthier path.
And I don't know about you, but I'm so ready for that future.
Random ADLM shower thought
Automation and robotics were taking over everything at ADLM 2025. Even the freshly made coffee at Seegene's booth was robot-brewed.
What an interesting time we’re living in. It almost makes the conventional way of getting coffee at conferences seem archaic and steampunk in nature.
Ah, the conventional conference coffee station: Hours-old brew kept warm in basically a series of mini water heaters at ADLM 2025. I think we can do better.
Who wants to be seen grabbing coffee from antiquated contraptions? Levity aside, perhaps this signals the trajectory for future scientific gatherings? Now, if only conferences could start using automation to better track engagement at poster sessions and company booths…
About the author
John Kang, SVP of Public Relations at HDMZ, harnesses his deep scientific expertise and extensive PR experience to craft compelling campaigns that captivate life science professionals and the general public. He spearheads innovative strategic communications and content strategies for leading domestic and international life science companies, and secures high-impact stories that capture the future state of biotech and life sciences in key mainstream outlets and life science trade publications.
