Whenever a new cell line, plasmid, biomarker, formulation, product, surface coating, etc. is
developed, a vast amount of data is usually generated, which cannot easily be filed in a correlative manner.
Furthermore, R&D entities normally use various storage formats in parallel. For example, R&D mostly
uses ELN systems, whereas analytic departments prefer sample-based LIMS systems. Due to this fact a
lack of global overview is observed and, more importantly, coherencies are not discovered. Concomitantly to
this problem, great effort is spent to design interfaces for data exchange.
An elegant way to overcome the pitfalls of dispersed data management would be a software package that does not need complicated interface solutions and thus grants easy data accessibility across departments, even including the management and supply chain. The company AAC INFOTRAY has developed just such a new software concept, the Research and Laboratory Information Management System (RALIMS), based on the well-known Limsophy technology.
RALIMS allows for systematic data
management by filing of R&D data and analytic data within one system. The data can be saved both in a
sample-based structured way (for the analytics) and in a project-based unstructured way (R&D). The data
can be accessed via both a full-text search and database query.
At the push of a button the RALIMS report builder generates a versatile report, which comprises all
relevant data of a given project. This can include documents such as SOPs, the development steps and,
furthermore, analytical results where desired.
The biotech service provider Trenzyme, located in Constance, Germany, uses Limsophy RALIMS in
order to follow the entire business process. The Limsophy RALIMS handles the address administration
with contact history, bid proposal management, project management with cost monitoring, order processing
management, SOP-based documentation, sample handling, reporting, entry of services rendered, invoicing
and transfer of the accounting records to the financial accounts department.
The main workflows are supported by a variety of modules such as strain and culture maintenance
(including storage documentation), supply administration with lot control and many more. The Limsophy
RALIMS import gateway enables the data import of laboratory equipment. Of course, results can be
entered manually, too.
Details about the RALIMS can be obtained at Analytica 2010, in hall B2/230, and at the forum Laboratory & Analytics, in hall B2, on 25 March 2010. Contact Trenzyme for more details.