Donald Peter Fraser, PhD
Principal Consultant
Donald Fraser is a laboratory automation architect, molecular biologist, software engineer, and founder of Apogee BioAutomation.
His background spans molecular biology, NGS, diagnostics, laboratory automation, and scientific software development, with experience ranging from academic research and high-throughput pathogen testing to biotechnology startups and digital laboratory transformation.
Donald specialises in designing and implementing automated laboratory workflows, laboratory information management systems (LIMS), and software integrations that connect instruments, data, and laboratory operations into scalable, maintainable systems.
He combines expertise in robotics, data architecture, and software engineering to deliver practical automation solutions across liquid handling, sample tracking, workflow orchestration, and laboratory informatics. His experience includes Hamilton, Tecan, Beckman Coulter, Thermo Fisher, SPT Labtech, Opentrons, Integra, and Formulatrix platforms, alongside custom software development, REST API integrations, and laboratory systems architecture.
Donald takes a systems-level approach to automation, focusing on identifying reusable patterns within laboratory operations and transforming them into flexible, future-proof solutions.
He specialises in helping organisations that are ready to automate, but not yet ready to build an internal automation team, acting as a Fractional Head of Lab Automation to provide strategic leadership, technical delivery, and practical implementation support.