Guides for research groups
The Labsite Journal
How to build, write and keep up to date a website worthy of your lab’s science.
Guide
How to make a research lab website (a step-by-step guide for PIs)
Everything a principal investigator needs to plan, build and launch a research lab website in an afternoon: the pages to include, what to write, and how to keep it up to date without a web developer.
- 02ComparisonThe best website builders for research labs in 2026An honest comparison of the main ways to build a research group website: university CMS, WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Google Sites, GitHub Pages and dedicated lab website builders.
- 03ChecklistWhat to include on a lab website: 12 pages and sections that matterA checklist of the pages and details every research group website should have, from a one-line mission to alumni, openings and a publication list that search engines can read.
- 04How-toHow to keep your lab publication list up to date automaticallyStop copying citations by hand. How to pull new papers into your lab website from ORCID, OpenAlex, Crossref and PubMed, and why every paper deserves its own indexable page.
- 05DesignLab website templates: choosing a design that fits your fieldHow to pick an academic website template for a research group: layout, typography and colour choices that suit chemistry, biology, neuroscience, physics and engineering labs.
- 06InspirationWhat the best research group websites have in commonLessons from strong academic lab websites: clear missions, real people, current news and easy ways to join. Use these patterns to improve your own lab site.
- 07GuideHow to build a lab website without codingYou do not need HTML, a developer or a weekend. How researchers can build and maintain a professional lab website with no code, including importing an existing site.
- 08AdvicePersonal academic website or lab website: which do you need?Should a principal investigator have a personal academic homepage, a lab website, or both? How to decide, and how to avoid maintaining two sites.