Managing the data associated with samples effectively is critical to achieving the full research potential of your samples. Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) take care of the physical sample, but they do not manage the phenotypic data well.

In a typical project, sample will be taken from many different locations. When a sample is taken from a subject, there is a wide range of information which is collected about the sample, starting with the basics, such as the consent forms, usually followed by a extensive questionnaire capturing all manner of data about the subject, their lifestyle and anything deemed important by the researcher.

The sample would be sent to the lab and the consent form and the answers to the questionnaire would be captured on paper and sent to the Principal Investigator where they may or may not be rekeyed into a spreadsheet or database.

There are numerous stages where errors can be introduced which can render the sample useless, because unless the sample can be tied to the consent and the phenotypic data it cannot be used.

PreLIMS is our sample tracking and data management system which allows samples to be bar coded and sent to the lab whilst also capturing all the consent and phenotypic data associated with the sample to ensure the two are never parted.

Click here to find out more about PreLIMS, or here to request further information