Lab Design Conference Speaker Profile: Luke Voiland
Luke Voiland, principal and executive vice president for practice strategy with Shepley Bulfinch, will be speaking at the 2025 Lab Design Conference in Denver, CO. He and his colleagues Lamar Pritchard, PhD, RPh of the University of Houston College of Pharmacy, and Jeffery Bottomley, principal with Shepley Bulfinch, will present “The Role of Pharmacy within a Broader Interdisciplinary Research Environment” on May 12 at 1:30pm.
This presentation explores the role of modern pharmacy labs in advancing research across pharmacogenomics, drug discovery, and toxicology through interdisciplinary collaboration. It highlights the partnership involved with designing the UH Health & Biomedical Sciences Building, which features flexible lab spaces tailored to evolving research needs. Emphasizing natural light and strategic wayfinding, the design fosters a productive and well-being-focused environment. The discussion will showcase how integrating academic, clinical, and community spaces enhances interprofessional education and collaborative care, supporting innovation in pharmacy and biomedical research.
Lab Design News spoke with Luke about valuable lessons learned, his favorite vacation spot, and why he’s looking forward to his first Lab Design Conference. Register now so you don’t miss this session!
Q: What are some key takeaways that attendees can expect from your session, and how can they apply these lessons to their own lab projects?
A: A hallmark of our design/programming efforts centers around distinguishing between shared program that can support collaboration (expensive/low volume use equipment) vs. dedicated space uses that need to be distinct.
Q: Can you share a case study or real-world example that you’ll be discussing during your Lab Design Conference talk, and how it reflects current trends in lab design?
A: We will share and discuss how one building can house multiple aspects of an academic enterprise (research, teaching and clinical components). By sharing infrastructure and connection to other facilities, more activity is supported, resulting in an ecosystem of discovery and clinical care.
Q: What is one important “soft skill” that all lab design experts should have?
A: Effective communication skills are critical for all lab design experts. No matter how knowledgeable you may be, sharing your passion has to be understandable to the audience or nothing will be accomplished.
Q: What is your favorite vacation spot?
A: The Italian town of Porto Fino was amazing to visit. Highly recommended at the end of the summer after the crowds.
Q: What are you most looking forward to about the Lab Design Conference?
A: I’m looking forward to engaging with the researchers generating the underlying knowledge and basic research that powers our modern world. The buildings we design house these activities and it’s always inspiring to meet the people who succeed in these spaces.
Register today to secure your ticket!
