Tuesday, May 22, 2018

The Origins Of LIMS And What They Do Today

By Karen Smith


When it comes to research laboratories, no matter what kind of science is taking place, there are going to be massive amounts of data and information that needs to be recorded. That is why all modern labs are equipped with something called a LIMS, or a laboratory information management system. LIS or LMS, laboratory information system and laboratory management system respectively, all serve similar purposes, but it is important to be aware of the subtle differences between them.

The main thing to know about these types of systems is that they are always computer-based nowadays, since they are a type of software. Every day, labs have many different forms of data and other information that needs to be tracked in real time and kept in a safe, reliable way that the scientists know will be accurate every time. Not only does this enable researchers to perform experiments in studies like they never could before, but it also makes every function of the lab much easier.

Workflow is a big task that these programs are expected to take care of. There is also an incredible amount of data that goes into them which is used in a number of different ways. Depending on the type of lab, there are many other tasks that software like this might be used for.

People might not realize that these systems have been around for a long time. At first, their only use was sample tracking. This had evolved into the advanced software that labs use today.

Although there is a general consensus on what an information system for a laboratory is, people don't always agree on some of the finer aspects of what defines this type of program. People have to use their own interpretation to see what the definition means to them personally. It is important to know what a certain kind of laboratory defines as an information system as opposed to other kinds.

There are a number of different categories that these systems are put in, but it is easy to see that the main purposes remain the same across all of them. The specific needs of some labs have led to some that have special tools to look at commercial and research aspects. Others are mainly for the clinical and forensic side of things.

Scientific studies have been growing more advanced ever since they were first performed, and so the software that researchers use to record their data has become more advanced with the studies themselves. This is necessary for the systems' functions to be able to keep up with the researchers' needs, and so that they can bring together the core pillars of science. As their uses have grown, the different kinds of software have become more similar in nature.

Entering information manually can often seem like a hassle, but it is hard for the average person to even imagine how difficult it was in laboratories before this automated software existed. Beyond just plain annoying to have to do (and a literal pain for those scientists whose hands cramped up from how much writing they had to do on a daily basis), it also endangered the success of studies because of simple transcription errors. It is much harder to have incorrectly recorded data with this kind of a system.




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