I think that the biggest problem that this type of situation can encounter may include communication. Because of the distance, regular in-house check ups may not be possible which may cause problems in the progress of the project. There will always be always be some sort of miscommunication when people do not talk and meet face to face. There will also be the issue of different understandings of the concept. This may need a different experimental design based on the different environment at which the lab is. Observing the procedures of the experiments may also cause trouble since there is distance.