Bridging laboratory and clinical practice: timelines and challenges in wet lab research

For surgical trainees embarking on a period of laboratory research, the transition from operating theatre to bench science can be both rewarding and disorienting. This annotation is written specifically for clinicians entering a wet laboratory environment, typically on an out-of-programme research placement, who may be unfamiliar with the realities of experimental science. Drawing on the first-hand experiences of a multidisciplinary orthopaedic research team, it explains why laboratory timelines are often longer than expected, and offers practical guidance for working effectively alongside PhD-level scientists, postdoctoral researchers, research technicians, and their trainees – collaborators whose technical expertise is indispensable to experimental success. Wet lab work involves complex protocols, tissue handling, assay optimization, and regulatory approvals, all of which can significantly extend project timelines. Effective communication, realistic planning, and mutual respect are crucial to manage unforeseen challenges and ensure that experiments are reliable, reproducible, and clinically meaningful. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2026;15(11):1350–1353.