2. The Place to Go
• http://limswiki.org
• A free encyclopedia of Laboratory Informatics
terminology, vendors, etc.
• Started in 2011, already has 412 content pages.
3. LIMS
• Laboratory Information Management
• Initial Goal of LIMS was sample management
• Test definition and test results were part of the
early scope
• Systems quickly expanded to include other
functions - sample inventory, storage, stability,
batch management, plate management and
much more
6. More Complex Data
• Analytical methods grew increasingly complex
• Each sample could generate a complex
intertwining data set, also involving other
samples
• Single value results are not always the goal
• Drove the need for a different tool
7. SDMS
• A Document Management system for
laboratory data. (http://limswiki.org/index.php/
SDMS)
• The forté of these systems is handling
unstructured, heterogenous data.
• Includes raw data files as well as printed
reports
11. SDMS Functions
Print
e d Ou
tput
Analysis
les
wD ata Fi
Ra
12. SDMS Functions
Metadata Extraction
Print
e d Ou
tput
Analysis
les
wD ata Fi
Ra
13. SDMS Functions
Metadata Extraction
Print
e d Ou
tput
Analysis
SDMS
les
wD ata Fi
Ra
14. SDMS Data Types
• Metadata = Structure Data
• Printed Data and Raw Data Files =
Unstructured Data
• Structured data permits queries and
connectivity to other systems
16. Electronic Laboratory
Notebook
• Simplest definition is an electronic version
of the traditional paper notebook
17. Electronic Laboratory
Notebook
• Simplest definition is an electronic version
of the traditional paper notebook
• However, notebooks come in very different
flavors...
18. Electronic Laboratory
Notebook
• Simplest definition is an electronic version
of the traditional paper notebook
• However, notebooks come in very different
flavors...
Free-form Research
Alexander Graham Bell’s Notebook
19. Electronic Laboratory
Notebook
• Simplest definition is an electronic version
of the traditional paper notebook
• However, notebooks come in very different
flavors...
Free-form Research
Alexander Graham Bell’s Notebook
20. Electronic Laboratory
Notebook
• Simplest definition is an electronic version
of the traditional paper notebook
• However, notebooks come in very different
flavors...
Free-form Research Standardized Forms
Alexander Graham Bell’s Notebook
22. Notebooks or Portals?
• Confusion exists as to whether the ELN is a
data collection tool or a portal
23. Notebooks or Portals?
• Confusion exists as to whether the ELN is a
data collection tool or a portal
• The answer to the question is ...
24. Notebooks or Portals?
• Confusion exists as to whether the ELN is a
data collection tool or a portal
• The answer to the question is ...
• Yes
25. Notebooks or Portals?
• Confusion exists as to whether the ELN is a
data collection tool or a portal
• The answer to the question is ...
• Yes
• That is, it depends on your needs
26. Chromatography Data
Systems
• Systems for controlling multiple instruments
(not strictly chromatography instruments any
longer)
• Generally provides an rdbms backend with
sample information, instrument information,
run method information, and frequently data
(although this is sometimes maintained as
separate files)
27. Nomenclature Challenges
• Each of the system discussed can contain
duplicate information, and they generally do
• This duplication leads to lack of clarity about
which system is doing what
• LIMSWiki.org hopes to bring some order to
this
30. Thinking to Avoid
• Normalization is king
• There must be one defined hub in this
network(see http://www.starlims.com/AL-
Wood-Reprint-9-07.pdf)
31. Thinking to Avoid
• Normalization is king
• There must be one defined hub in this
network(see http://www.starlims.com/AL-
Wood-Reprint-9-07.pdf)
• LIMS is intended to handle all laboratory
information
