Modern-day laboratories are experiencing record volumes of samples to process and test. Labs need to process these samples effectively and efficiently, but how is performance easily measured? Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) measure laboratory performance and help paint a picture of what is truly happening in the lab. KPIs can also provide insight into continuous improvement opportunities to increase laboratory productivity. [Read More]

Laboratories in the mining and metals industries are under considerable pressure to turn out results as quickly as possible, and keep a close eye on costs. Laboratory informatics applications can provide a central repository for test results and make coordination of distributed research and production operations easier. Laboratory managers need to recognize the benefits of informatics early in the development of laboratory operations so they can benefit from them. A cloud-based LIMS can assist the implementation process by providing access to ready-to-run systems that do not require installation or IT support. [Read More]

Cell and gene therapy research is a rapidly growing field that holds great promise for treating a wide range of diseases and conditions. Laboratory informatics solutions, such as electronic lab notebooks (ELNs), laboratory information management systems (LIMS), and other digital tools, can play a crucial role in supporting this research by providing a secure and centralized platform for storing, executing, managing, and sharing experimental data and observations. [Read More]

Agaram Technologies’ Logilab SDMS is a generic software application designed to handle scientific instrument data from any analytical instrument and can facilitate data management with access control. Logilab SDMS will perform scheduled data capture, cataloguing, archival and facilitate restoring data and has capabilities to extract data of interest from instrument output to be pushed to external systems like Electronic Note Book (ELN), Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP). [Read More]

When shopping for a laboratory information management system (LIMS), it’s best to remind yourself of the old idiom “you get what you pay for.” Deciding to add a LIMS to your laboratory is not a decision to take lightly, nor is choosing the best LIMS vendor to handle your project. Taking the time to make specific inquiries about your requirements, understand how the price is calculated, seek out references, and question things that seem too good to be true will save you the time and money of investing in LIMS software this year, and replacing it the next. [Read More]

In this 2022 article published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, Berciano et al. discuss the topic of precision or personalized nutrition (PN) in the context of needing advancements in analytical and data management technologies in order to reach its full potential. After a brief introduction and discussion of the concept of PN, the authors examine the role of big data and data analysis in PN, particularly in regards to developing and optimizing personalized nutrition products and services. They then couch PN in terms of it having the potential to be "the future of healthcare," addressing topics such as phenotyping, metabolic methods, environmental factors, and the role of money and medical service insurers. After compiling a set of best practices and standards in PN and addressing the need for advocacy efforts towards PN, the authors conclude that while "PN should have an impact on both personal and public health ... [a]dvancing the science and the adoption of PN will require a significant investment in multidisciplinary collaborations that translate the fast-moving technological advances in omics, sensors, AI, and big data management and analytics into powerful and user-friendly tools."