Core LIMS Training: Key Concepts & Definitions

What is Core LIMS? LIMS=Laboratory Information Management System Manages information for the entire discovery process Sample Registration Automated Data Capture & Reduction Experimental Results Management Enforcement of Laboratory Workflow & SOPs Interface with Instrumentation & Robotics Project Management Barcoding & Inventory Management Core LIMS can be easily customized to any scientific area through simple configurations Core LIMS has a web-based client that can be accessed anywhere with internet access; the server can be stored on the cloud or on your premises CONFIDENTIAL

Core LIMS is Web-Based Some general tips about web pages: Full Screen View Web pages are not limited by screen size and often involve scrolling to see everything You can increase the size of you window by going to Full Screen mode in your browser New Windows or Tabs If you want to keep information entered on a web page so you don’t have to re-type it later and also see results on a new page, open a new window or tab (Right mouse click on menu item) Note: There is no maximum to the number of windows that you can be logged in from, but if your window is inactive for >20 minutes then you may have to log in again to do something new Use web caching to reduce redundant typing Tip: Chrome is the recommended Browser CONFIDENTIAL

3 Tiers of LIMS Architecture Super Types: The highest-level concept for objects that are tracked within the LIMS. Essentially, a broad category that relates Entity Types together. Examples: Container, Assay, or Sample. Entity Types: Sub-categories or record types that can be differentiated by the data fields (or attributes) that are defined for each. Examples: 96 Well Plate (Container), Biochemical Dose-Response (Assay), or Small Molecule (Sample). Entities: An individual record that stores the actual data values. Entities are unique and are each assigned a specific barcode. Examples: Microtiter Plate #1 (Container), Receptor Target X Dose-Response (Assay), or Small Molecule #1 (Sample). CONFIDENTIAL

Other Key Terms Application: a logical unit of objects and functions grouped together by a set of menus and a dashboard home page; users can access them from tiles on the home page or from the application menu if they have permission Attributes: these are the data fields that collect values for each record; they are defined on the entity types Associations: these are links to other records in the system that already contain some relevant data; these relationships are defined on the entity types CONFIDENTIAL

Key Core Concepts Every record in the system must have a unique name and a unique barcode The barcode cannot be edited, but the name can be changed later Every record in the system needs to be associated to one or more projects Users can never delete records, but they can edit or deactivate them if they have permission You can attach files or comments to any record type in the system The LIMS tracks which user performed and timestamps all major events for every record (creation, edits, etc.) The LIMS is highly configurable and your specific system will look slightly different CONFIDENTIAL

Samples, Lots & Containers Sample: Parent level concept of entities that can be registered, tracked, and utilized in experiments; This is the “blueprint” for the house Lot: A distinct child of a sample that can be associated to containers and used in experiments; This is each physical construction of the house from the same blueprint Container: Object that can store sample lots and contains one or multiple container cells; This is the land plot that holds the house Samples, lots, and containers are all equivalent super types There are separate records for each of them, but related records can be easily found through hyperlinks There can be one or more lots for a given sample A given lot can be stored in one or more containers CONFIDENTIAL

Assays, Experiments & Protocols Experiment: Process execution or instance/event in which data is collected for a set of samples; This is each physical construction of the house from the same blueprint Assay: One or more experiments that are tracking the same set of result data types; This is the “blueprint” for the house Protocol: Description of conditions associated to an experiment. This is the SOP for how to build the house Assays, experiments, and protocols are all equivalent super types There are separate records for each of them, but related records can be easily found through hyperlinks The associations between objects are stored on the experiment There can be one or more experiments for a given assay Multiple sample lots can be tested in the same experiment Different experiments can run the same assay using different protocols Data for the same lot that is tested in the same assay using the same protocol can be aggregated together CONFIDENTIAL