Sustainability Champions: Crystal Nie from OmniAb®

Building Greener Labs, One Crate at a Time

Crystal Nie is a Lab Op Sr. Manager at OmniAb®, a biotechnology leader specializing in antibody discovery. Through her work in the lab and her leadership in sustainability initiatives, Crystal is helping transform how life science teams think about waste, accountability, and environmental responsibility.

We sat down with Crystal to learn more about her innovative approach to lab sustainability and how she partnered with Polycarbin to transform waste management practices at her organization. Here’s what we learned.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about your background and what brought you to OmniAb?
Sure! I’ve always loved science, and I’ve always cared about sustainability. Growing up near the El Cerrito Recycling Center, I saw how environmental responsibility could be a lived value, not just a lesson in school. That was an essential experience that really stayed with me. 

When I joined OmniAb as a Lab Ops Sr. Manager, I saw an opportunity to bring that mindset into the lab. We do cutting-edge research here, and I believe that innovation should include how we manage our resources and waste.

Q: Was there a turning point that made you rethink your lab’s approach to plastic waste?
Well, yes. As you know, most labs rely heavily on single-use plastics, like pipette tip boxes, tubes, and containers. For a long time, our team had been carefully sorting and placing our #1 and #2 plastics into city recycling bins, assuming they were being recycled. Then one day, we learned the truth. Everything we were recycling was really going straight to the landfill. The team was so disheartened. We just couldn’t believe it. That realization lit a fire under me and pushed me to find a better way.

Q: How did you learn about Polycarbin?
I got an email from them, and I was immediately intrigued. I started looking into their services and realized they provided recycling services designed specifically for lab plastics. I was so excited. They take most of the items we use daily and think not just about recycling but also circularity and carbon impact.

Q: What changes did you make once you partnered with Polycarbin?
We worked with Polycarbin to launch a crate-based pickup system. Polycarbin calls this CORE services Instead of packing up and shipping off cardboard boxes that just get discarded, we reuse a crate. Polycarbin’s truck handles both delivery and pickup, which also helps reduce transport emissions. It’s simple, but it’s innovative and scalable.

Q: How did you make the impact visible to the rest of the company?
That part is essential to me. I wanted people to see the results of what we were doing, not just feel like it was a good idea. So I started sharing data from Polycarbin’s Carbin Counter™ through our OASIS platform, which is an internal Microsoft Teams channel we use for environmental education and sustainability updates. 

When people can see how their choices add up, it builds momentum. It helps create a culture where sustainability becomes a shared value, not just an individual effort.

Q: This is all so inspiring! What advice would you give to other labs just starting out?
Start small. But start now. Look at your purchasing: does that item need to be individually sterile? Can you buy it in bulk instead? Could you switch to a supplier that takes back their packaging? There are always opportunities to improve. You just have to be willing to ask questions and reevaluate your processes often.

Q: Are there any other thoughts you’d like to share with our community?
Yes. I don’t believe lab sustainability can be treated as a side project. It must be embedded into how we manage and operate our labs. It’s not a one-and-done initiative. It has to be an ongoing, evolving process. There’s always room to improve, and the work is never truly finished. 

You also want to make sustainability part of the lab’s culture, because it’s then that those small wins start to compound, and real change becomes possible.

About OmniAb®

Based in Emeryville, California, OmniAb® is on the front lines of biotech innovation, helping pharmaceutical and life science partners discover the next generation of therapeutic antibodies. Through its unique platforms, such as OmniRat®, OmniMouse®, and OmniChicken®, the company enables the generation of fully human antibodies that fuel cutting-edge treatments for a wide range of diseases.

OmniAb®’s work doesn’t stop at the lab bench. With tools like OmniDeep™—an AI and machine learning-powered platform for antibody optimization—the company is reimagining how therapies are discovered. From bispecific antibodies to CAR-T therapies, OmniAb supports scientists worldwide in developing life-saving treatments more efficiently, effectively, and sustainably.

Ready to see how much your lab can decarbonize?

Contact us today for a consultation and learn how your lab can be part of the Polycarbin mission and help make science more sustainable!