LIMS

LIMS is the acronym for a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). It is a system that allows laboratories to trace and track all samples or specimens that are received into the laboratory, tests performed, methods utilized, their results, any changes to results, control limits, QC values, and can also track the analyst and the date and time of each step in the analysis process.

A LIMS system can be quite simple, from a set of Excel templates and Word report templates, to a sophisticated data management solution that provides all of the above features and much more in terms of automated data import from instrument integration, automated e-mailing, faxing of reports and other tasks, Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR) to scan documents directly into the database, secure web-based sample or specimen submission and reporting.

A fully operative commercial LIMS is quite costly and seems to be out of reach for most University laboratories like e.g. CIGENE. As a direct consequence of the costs involved in a commercial LIMS, we searched for an open source LIMS solution. These kinds of solutions are not easy to find on such extensive systems, but a few systems are available. At CIGENE we have chosen to base our LIMS, called CiLIMS, on a system from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the USA.

As the LIMS from NCI was designed for a different lab environment, we have now modified and optimized the system for our SNP genotyping laboratory. At present we have installed a functional and safe LIMS system containing a large database, a sample management system, a bar coding system, a storage system and a backup system where the safety of our clients' samples is in focus. The LIMS is now fully populated with all our DNA and primer supplies, which currently number more than 30,000 entries. We will continue to optimize and adapt our CiLIMS in the future in accordance with our users’ needs and demands.