Institutional ELN-LIMS deployment: Highly customizable ELN-LIMS platform as a cornerstone of digital transformation for life sciences research institutes
In this 2020 journal article published in EMBO Reports, Nicolas Argento of École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) reviews the step-by-step approach EPFL took in identifying, piloting, configuring, and implementing a combination electronic laboratory notebook (ELN)–laboratory information management system (LIMS) for member laboratories affiliated with the institution. In particular, Argento highlights the value of “surrounding yourself with the right people and the right software at the right time” when going through the various deployment steps. After providing an introduction, the author goes through the various five phases of the project they undertook, while also highlighting the value of stakeholders and other critical staff. Argento closes with a brief highlight of the “laboratory data manager” as being a role that should not be overlooked, then he concludes that while the EPFL’s institutional ELN-LIMS platform meets its goals, additional data management and system adoption challenges remain.
