Building a shared lab memory: one library, one assistant, one method
research
How research groups can pool papers, notes, and figures into a shared project so everyone asks the same assistant and keeps the method consistent.
Labs lose knowledge in the gaps: a paper saved in one person's folder, a note in another's notebook, a method decision made in a hallway. A shared memory closes those gaps.
What gets shared
A shared project holds the material the whole group relies on:
- Papers, preprints, and PDFs
- Slides, figures, and screenshots
- Web pages and threads
- Typed or spoken notes from lab members
Google Drive import brings in what the lab already has.
Why it helps
- One source of truth. Everyone adds to the same memory.
- Consistent method. Everyone asks the same assistant, with the same guardrails.
- Easier onboarding. New members can ask questions of the lab's accumulated reading instead of starting from zero.
- Continuity. Thesis work and lab notebooks stay connected to the papers behind them.
Keeping it trustworthy
Every answer cites the paper and page behind it, so members verify rather than assume. Sharing is something you choose per project, and permissions are covered on the trust and controls page.
Getting started
- Create a project for one study.
- Write the assistant's role, method, and guardrails.
- Invite lab members and agree on what gets saved.
- Review answers against sources together.
See how a knowledge graph connects shared material, or explore Constella for researchers.