Lab Transition Checklist
Answer 7 questions and get a personalised checklist for your lab transition — whether you are leaving or taking over.
Lab Transition Checklist: Outgoing & Incoming PI — Equipment, Compliance & Data Handover
Whether you are working through a lab exit checklist as a departing PI, or navigating the process of taking over a research lab, this tool generates a checklist tailored to your exact situation — equipment, compliance, data handover, and team. It covers the things most people do not think about until there is a problem. No account required, no data sent anywhere.
FREE TOOL
Lab Transition Checklist
Which side of the transition are you on?
Answer 7 questions and get a checklist tailored to your exact situation.
7
Questions
~3
Minutes
100%
Free
No account required. Your answers stay in your browser.
Frequently asked questions
What should a PI do when leaving a lab?
A departing PI should formally notify the department and sponsored programs office, complete a full equipment and chemical inventory, archive all lab data and notebooks, arrange chemical waste disposal and an EH&S closeout inspection, transfer or close out active grants, notify lab members and provide adequate transition time, and write or update core lab protocols. Use the tool above for a checklist tailored to your specific departure reason, lab type, and team.
What does a PI need to do when taking over a lab?
An incoming PI should inspect the space with EH&S before moving anything in, re-register the lab under their own name, verify equipment ownership, audit chemical and sample inventories, confirm or submit new IRB and IACUC protocols in their name, and hold a meeting with any continuing lab members. Priority depends heavily on whether the transition was planned or unexpected — use the tool above to get a prioritised list.
What happens to lab equipment when a PI leaves?
Institutionally-owned equipment must be formally cleared by the property office before it can be moved. Some equipment may be required to stay. Equipment purchased on grants being transferred may require NIH or NSF prior approval. Contact the property office well in advance — equipment transfer authorisation cannot be arranged at the last minute.
What happens to active grants when a PI leaves?
Active NIH grants can be transferred to a new institution via a Type 7 resubmission, requiring NIH prior approval. If retiring or closing the lab, active grants may qualify for a no-cost extension. All grants require a final RPPR within 120 days of the end date.
Do IRB and IACUC protocols transfer when a PI leaves?
No. Protocols are tied to the PI of record. They do not automatically transfer. The incoming PI must submit new protocols or formally amend existing ones before any regulated research can begin. Start this process immediately — it can take several weeks.
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