Introducing the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL)

Lillie Laboratory, Marine Biological Laboratory
Lillie Laboratory, Marine Biological Laboratory

TRA360 is back once again bringing you news on the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), an international center for biological research and education founded in Wood’s Hole, Massachusetts in 1888. Researchers are drawn to the MBL to conduct cutting-edge biomedical and environmental research or to take one of the MBL’s 22 advanced science courses.  Recently, the facility underwent major renovations, including an upgrade to its educational cornerstone, Loeb Laboratory, and established the new Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology & Tissue Engineering.

In its Marine Resources Center, the MBL maintains marine models such as sea urchins and squid that researchers study to learn about human biology, including neurology and embryology. To maintain these creatures, MBL pumps in over a million gallons of sea water a day from the sea into this facility.

What else is happening at the MBL? Recently the MBL partnered with several other educational institutions to create the Encyclopedia of Life, an effort to create an internet page for each species in the world. There are about 1.9 million species on Earth, and the Encyclopedia to date has over 1 million pages.

We hope you enjoyed our intro into the MBL. Stay tuned for our next two posts about two of the laboratories within the MBL that are doing work in the Regenerative Medicine field. Let us know what you think so far @TRA360!

Why Analytics are Important to Your Business

Do you use analytics to measure success for your brand?

The social media train has left the station, ladies and gentleman. Are you on board? Either your brand is actively using social media and cruising along the Digital Sphere North, or pretty much, you’re left behind on the station’s platform, alone and confused. Yes, social media has become a norm in growing your brand’s business; but how do you know if you’ve succeeded? What does success look like?  Defining your company’s goals is essential for figuring out your personal secret sauce for success.  Finally, monitoring your analytics is the key to determining if you’ve met your goals, which in turn, defines your success.

The question isn’t where to go to measure general analytical trends (Google Analytics or Basic HootSuite are solid options), but how to efficiently use these analytical tools. Creating your brand page is the simple part, but when it comes to execution, many businesses end up stuck and regretting their decision to use social media in the first place.

Analytics are extremely important to determining success via numbers. When said and done, it comes down to how many people are actually noticing your brand and taking action through engagement. For instance, why take the time and effort to create a social campaign without determining if it’s worth your while. Analytics keep track of how far your initiatives go and what demographics are being reached. This helps brands further understand their target audiences and can tailor marketing campaigns/promotions accordingly.

Social media takes time and in some cases, money (hiring a consultant, spending for online advertising, etc.) and marketers wonder when they will finally see money coming in from their digital efforts. Analytics can also help with raking in the dough. Building relationships take time, as does establishing trust and gaining credibility in your industry. However, keeping track of the patterns of your users interactions with your brand can shed light into creating successful campaigns and contests. Continue these smart marketing practices, and you’ll soon likely see a return on investment through partnerships, buyouts, deals, new customers/clients, etc.

Do you think analytics are important to a brand’s social success? Why or why not? Let us know and comment below! 

IEEE Life Sciences Portal

After spending time at BIO International Conference in June, we have started following the developments of the IEEE. Who are the IEEE you may ask, and we’re delighted to tell you all about them.

First, IEEE stands for Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Tracing back as far as 1884 to a small group of engineers who convened in New York, they strove to provide support for professionals in engineering and help each other to eventually use their innovative characteristics to better society as a whole. They started out as the American Institute of Electrical Engineers with members including Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell. In 1912, when radio became a booming area, the IRE, Institute of Radio Engineers, sprung up along with the field. Both the IRE and the AIEE thrived and boasted large membership counts, but in January of 1963 the two organizations merged to form the IEEE. The day it was formed the IEEE contained 150,000 members, of which 140,000 were domestic to the United States. Since its formation, the IEEE has boomed with membership and now boasts over 395,000 members in 160 countries worldwide.

What does the IEEE offer for people like us who aren’t engineers? The IEEE recently launched the Life Sciences Portal on their website. On the portal there are links to articles pertaining to the new happenings in the life sciences industry. They have banner of articles that give the readers all new information about the ongoings today. As well, there is a technology spotlight pertaining to the newest developments in technology in the life sciences industry and a featured article about something interesting going on today. Can you find out about events as well as news? The IEEE features a side bar calendar with events upcoming in the life science field.

We asked the IEEE’s Content Manager  for the Portal, Lee Moffitt, what he thought was the most beneficial thing about the Life Sciences Portal. He said “I believe it is most beneficial in providing a means for people working in the life sciences and those working in technology to come together to learn and cooperate” And we couldn’t agree more. The portal provides an accessible and comprehensive resource for information in the life sciences. Check out what they have to offer and let us know your opinions @TRA360!

What makes a product launch successful?

The product rocket is taking off!

In the Pharma industry, new innovative medications, software and products are being developed on a regular basis. These developments are advancing technology and the world of health care. But how can you tell if your product launch is successful? Hundreds of thousands of product launches take place around the world on a daily basis. But what are some factors in making a product launch successful or unsuccessful? Let’s take a look.

  • Mastering the pre-launch

Before spending a significant amount of time and money on a product launch, not knowing if it will succeed or fail, it may be in your best interested to have a soft or pre-launch of your product. A soft launch is launching your idea or product to a smaller targeted audience. The purpose is to be able to see on a (much) smaller scale how your product will do when it’s go time.

  • Branding and fulfilling a need

Does the product you are launching fulfill some sort of a need? Or is it fulfilling a want? Determine the purpose of your product is essential before launching it. Once this has been established, take a look at your marketing plan. Does the message your brand is sending match up with your product? Make sure this is clear in your launch; otherwise your product may be questioned.

Conducting a successful soft launch before releasing your product to the public and targeting the message behind your product are crucial for a successful product launch. Have you ever launched a product before? Did it fail or succeed? Why or why not? Let us know and comment below or tweet to us @TRA360!