This year, Hamburg will host one of the most significant events in the automation and screening industry: the SLAS Europe Conference and Exhibition will take place in the Hanseatic city for the first time. Philip Gribbon, President of the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) for 2025, is delighted by the choice of Hamburg as the new location for the European edition of the renowned American conference. Gribbon knows the city well and recognizes that its excellent infrastructure, prestigious universities, and vibrant life sciences scene offer ideal conditions for international exchange. We spoke with him.

A city of science

San Diego, Boston, Barcelona, Dublin, Brussels – Hamburg now joins the list of prestigious host cities for the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) Conference and Exhibition. The European version of the event has only existed for a few years.
“We were searching for a home for SLAS where there is a vibrant scientific ecosystem. And Hamburg offers everything we need,” explains SLAS President Philip Gribbon. The infrastructure, universities, and local life sciences sector – represented by companies such as Eppendorf, Revvity, and Evotec – make Hamburg a perfect fit.

“Here in Northern Germany, we have a fantastic, strong community built around science, innovation, and business sense,” says Gribbon, who previously worked for Pfizer for more than five years. Originally from London, he knows the region well, having led the Hamburg site of the Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP since 2021.

Hamburg as a hub for exchange

Establishing a lasting, sustainable meeting in Hamburg, supported by the community of scientists, chemists, and biologists across Germany, is a matter close to Gribbon’s heart. “These conferences have a very special flair,” says Gribbon, who also has an eye on the city’s long-term development.
“I want Hamburg to become a place where drug discovery researchers, scientists, and technologists from all across Europe come together to solve problems.” The conference won’t just focus on isolated goals and tools – it will focus on creating solutions.

We want to create a place where science can be discovered and openly discussed.

Philip Gribbon

Gribbon also envisions Hamburg as a unique location with its own culture and atmosphere, acting as a nexus between Scandinavia, Northern, and Central Europe. “Once the new tunnel under the Baltic Sea is completed, Scandinavians will be able to reach Hamburg by train in less than three hours,” Gribbon adds. Likewise, Hamburg residents will have fast, eco-friendly access to major biotech hubs like Copenhagen.

A conference full of opportunities

“We are now living in the age of artificial intelligence and machine learning,” says Gribbon, a technology enthusiast and physicist who has lived in Hamburg for eight years. Automated processes and data-driven systems offer major benefits for drug research and development – making experiments more reliable and improving the quality of datasets. This is where a well-established conference like SLAS Europe can offer meaningful avenues for engagement. In addition to various networking opportunities, group discussions, and exhibition time, attendees will gain insights into lab automation workflows, access biotech innovations, and have the chance to showcase their own research. Start-ups can apply to present their technology or software to larger companies and potential partners. “This promotes innovation and is an essential part of the event,” Gribbon explains. Companies participating in SLAS Europe benefit by meeting a wide range of stakeholders and technologies – from software developers and designers to automation experts. And it’s not just about the people creating the software, but also those using it on the ground. According to Gribbon, this is the strength of SLAS Europe: seeing the bigger picture, looking beyond one’s own specialty, and understanding the challenges faced by other sectors.

Three key themes

The three-day conference will focus on three central themes:

1. Advancements in the “Triple-Discovery” approach – an integrated method often used in biotechnology and pharmaceutical research.
2. How analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence can be integrated into laboratory automation at scale and cost-effectively.
3. Screening applications and diagnostics – including the latest developments in drug discovery.

These three main topics also reflect the industry’s current challenges. Gribbon hopes the SLAS event will lead to new tools, technologies, and methods. “With lab automation, we can and should really focus on the most highly relevant research experiments.”
He is especially interested in automated applications that are already being successfully deployed in industry.

Designed to stay

From 2025, Hamburg will become the long-term home port of SLAS Europe. Following this year’s debut, the city will host future editions in 2027, 2029, and 2031. This commitment not only highlights Hamburg’s importance as a location but also creates ideal conditions for sustainable networks between research and industry.

Text: Lea Holzamer

Article picture: SLAS