r/labrats

Community Overview

About r/labrats

Welcome to r/LabRats! A space for scientists, researchers, and lab workers to share experiment fails, lab wins, and PI woes. Do you need advice, a place to vent, or just some lab-life humor? Want to share your big successes, your awesome protocols, and tricks of the trade? Join your fellow labrats. We also have a discord server! https://discord.gg/385mCqr

The community at a glance

r/labrats is a Subreddit for Chemists and Biologists with roughly 725K members. It uses a forum format for communication. On the Hive Index it ranks #2 in the Chemistry communities list. It is the 2nd largest community in the Biology topic page.

Roughly 47K members have joined in the past year. Popular discussion topics include Cell Culture, Culture, and Cell. Common discussion themes are Advice Requests and Solution Requests. Product recommendations often mention antibody, book, and plate.

On Reddit
725K Members

Subreddit Analysis

via GummySearch
Yearly: +47K members
Growth: +6.9% / year

Member growth over time

All time (yearly)

  • 2013: 2K members
  • 2014: 2K members
  • 2015: 3K members
  • 2016: 3K members
  • 2017: 8K members
  • 2018: 21K members
  • 2019: 43K members
  • 2020: 112K members
  • 2021: 238K members
  • 2023: 191K members
  • 2024: 29K members
  • 2025: 38K members
  • 2026: 34K members

Past year (monthly)

  • Oct: 2K members
  • Nov: 3K members
  • Dec: 6K members
  • Jan: 5K members
  • Feb: 4K members
  • Mar: 4K members
  • Apr: 5K members
  • May: 4K members
  • Jun: 4K members
  • Jul: 4K members
  • Aug: 4K members
  • Sep: 1K members

Themes

  • Advice Requests
    18 posts in the past month
    1. Is it normal for PIs to set up their own CCTV in the lab and watch students from home?
    2. Would you kindly review my new grad resume?
    3. What should I do now? Leave?
    #1
    Advice Requests
    Is it normal for PIs to set up their own CCTV in the lab and watch students from home? · Would you kindly review my new grad resume? · What should I do now? Leave?
    18
  • Solution Requests
    8 posts in the past month
    1. Another Gel Blot Analysis Software
    2. Is there any device for keeping track of 96-well plate PCR position?
    3. Website like “not voodoo” but for biochem/molecular bio?
    #2
    Solution Requests
    Another Gel Blot Analysis Software · Is there any device for keeping track of 96-well plate PCR position? · Website like “not voodoo” but for biochem/molecular bio?
    8
  • Pain & Anger
    4 posts in the past month
    1. repeated contaminations are going to get me kicked out of my lab im so scared and dont know what to do
    2. Feeling like I’m not fit for postdoc or science
    3. Internal lab transfer: leaving due to PI’s communication + lack of scientific mentorship
    #3
    Pain & Anger
    repeated contaminations are going to get me kicked out of my lab im so scared and dont know what to do · Feeling like I’m not fit for postdoc or science · Internal lab transfer: leaving due to PI’s communication + lack of scientific mentorship
    4
  • Self-Promotion
    1 post in the past month
    1. How we reached 100 paid users for the medical tool (CliniCheck). Your feedback is playing crucial role.
    #4
    Self-Promotion
    How we reached 100 paid users for the medical tool (CliniCheck). Your feedback is playing crucial role.
    1

Topics

  • Cell Culture
    2 posts in the past month
    1. What kind of contamination stops cell lines from growing?
    #1
    Cell Culture
    What kind of contamination stops cell lines from growing?
    2
  • Culture
    2 posts in the past month
    1. What kind of contamination stops cell lines from growing?
    #2
    Culture
    What kind of contamination stops cell lines from growing?
    2
  • Cell
    2 posts in the past month
    1. What kind of contamination stops cell lines from growing?
    #3
    Cell
    What kind of contamination stops cell lines from growing?
    2
  • Struggling
    1 post in the past month
    #4
    Struggling
    1
  • Grad
    1 post in the past month
    #5
    Grad
    1

Flair

  • open discussion
    1 post in the past month
    1. Monthly Rant Thread: September, 2026 edition
    #1
    open discussion
    Monthly Rant Thread: September, 2026 edition
    1

Product recommendations

  • antibody
    3 posts in the past month
    1. Anyone could recommend a brand of anti-claudin5 antibody for western blot/IF ?
    2. Which BNIP3L or Nix antibody (mitophagy) would you recommend to buy? (for tissue)
    3. Need HRP conj secondary antibody that will x-react with mouse and human IgG in ELISA. Any recs?
    #1
    antibody
    Anyone could recommend a brand of anti-claudin5 antibody for western blot/IF ? · Which BNIP3L or Nix antibody (mitophagy) would you recommend to buy? (for tissue) · Need HRP conj secondary antibody that will x-react with mouse and human IgG in ELISA. Any recs?
    3
  • book
    3 posts in the past month
    1. Could you recommend a similar book?
    2. Can anyone recommend a book about calculations in molecular biology?
    3. Can someone recommend a good book on bacterial genetics & molecular biology?
    #2
    book
    Could you recommend a similar book? · Can anyone recommend a book about calculations in molecular biology? · Can someone recommend a good book on bacterial genetics & molecular biology?
    3
  • plate
    3 posts in the past month
    1. Best way to collect data about agar plate composition?
    2. Best way to collect data about agar plate composition?
    3. Best plate washer?
    #3
    plate
    Best way to collect data about agar plate composition? · Best way to collect data about agar plate composition? · Best plate washer?
    3
  • gloves
    2 posts in the past month
    1. What are the best nitril gloves to use?
    2. Can anyone recommend gloves for hot xylene?
    #4
    gloves
    What are the best nitril gloves to use? · Can anyone recommend gloves for hot xylene?
    2
  • pipette
    2 posts in the past month
    1. Best brand for pulled glass micropipettes?
    2. Please recommend your favorite pipette TIPS! RIP Denville :(
    #5
    pipette
    Best brand for pulled glass micropipettes? · Please recommend your favorite pipette TIPS! RIP Denville :(
    2

Frequently asked questions

Who is r/labrats for?
Best for Chemists and Biologists enthusiasts looking for a Reddit-based community with forum discussion.
Is r/labrats free to join?
This listing is not marked as paid-only. Access rules and any fees are decided by the community.
How many members does r/labrats have?
Roughly 725K members, based on figures reported by the community or its host. Member counts are approximate and change over time.
What platform is r/labrats on?
r/labrats runs on Reddit. Reddit communities (or "subreddits") are forum-based groups on the popular social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website Reddit. Reddit is commonly known as "the front page of the internet". Users submit content to the site such as links, text posts, and images, which are then voted up or down and discussed by other members. From investing Reddit communities, to professional ones, to ones just for laughs, you're likely to find a community for you on Reddit.
What topics does r/labrats cover?
On the Hive Index, r/labrats is organized under Chemists, Biologists.
How do I join r/labrats?
You can join r/labrats by clicking this link, or pressing the "Go to community" button above.
What are the Chemistry communities like?
Welcome to the world of online communities for Chemists! These vibrant and diverse platforms offer a virtual haven for scientists, researchers, and enthusiasts alike. Joining these communities provides an invaluable opportunity to connect, collaborate, and exchange knowledge with fellow chemists from around the globe. With variations across different communities, you can find forums dedicated to specific branches of chemistry, such as organic, inorganic, analytical, and physical chemistry. Some communities focus on academic discussions and research sharing, while others cater to industry professionals seeking advice on practical applications and career development. Additionally, you may find platforms that emphasize mentorship and support for students and early-career chemists. Whether you're looking for guidance, inspiration, networking opportunities, or simply a space to geek out about chemistry, these online communities have got you covered.