An Affordable Game-Changer for Laboratories

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APRIL - 07 - 2016 | CIOREVIEW.COM

CloudLIMS
An Affordable Game-Changer for Laboratories

Over the past decade, many research centers and large-scale consumer laboratories have begun tapping into the true potential of computing. Until recently, Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) were confined to on-premise legacy systems. However, trends in the LIMS market have shown a remarkable inclination towards cloud technology. Standalone systems, being prohibitively expensive, are rapidly being replaced by Software as a Service (SaaS) systems. CloudLIMS-a product true to its name-was conceived to address the complexity of having to invest, manage, and maintain the necessary infrastructure for automated LIMS in small-to-mid sized laboratories. CloudLIMS’s most striking feature is its pay-as-you-go-model which enables laboratories to implement software in no time and scale it as per their requirements. “CloudLIMS helps small organizations reap the benefits of SaaS, eliminating the need for a dedicated IT infrastructure and manpower,” points out Arun Apte, CEO, CloudLIMS.

The Wilmington, DE based solution provider offers automated sample management, sample tracking and digital inventory management software that is hosted in the cloud. “The cloud ensures data integrity as we isolate instances for each user. The product saves laboratory samples and specimens, at the same time facilitates compliance with the necessary government regulations,” explains Apte. By helping labs adhere to federal regulations, CloudLIMS ensures that all the clinical and health information of an individual is safeguarded, which is a common concern in the healthcare industry.

The cloud ensures data integrity and security for each user, facilitating compliance with federal regulations.Arun ApteCEO - CloudLIMS

Apte states that BioTracer, CloudLIMS’s flagship product, is a sample management software application that allows complete tracking of samples, with modules for managing test results, lab inventory, requests from clients and package shipments. The software is embedded with added features to meet the mounting demands of data explosion in the industry.

“BioTracer is both extensible and scalable, adjusting to the ever-changing demands of business in today’s highly competitive environment,” adds Apte.

Owing to the ubiquitous structure of the cloud framework, CloudLIMS has a clientele spread across the globe. One such client is the University of California, Davis, a group of six labs conducting research in diverse areas, such as mass spectrometry, glycomics, microbial ecology, cell biology and analytical chemistry involving specimens from humans and animals. They were on the lookout for a system that, in addition to managing and tracking samples, would also connect the labs without compromising on data security.

Additionally, they needed access permissions to on-going studies based on the role of each lab. They wanted to record the chain of custody while transferring samples across labs. The demonstration of BioTracer’s capabilities convinced them to choose CloudLIMS as a service provider. The product was configured according to each laboratory’s workflow, avoiding costly customization. The labs did put forward a few major requirements such as lab-based access and study-based access permissions. The CloudLIMS team took up the challenge of putting these together, to offer a seamless product. Using BioTracer, members of all the six labs can login and register their ownsamples in a highly secure and reliable environment. All the records are centrally managed; however the access restrictions are laboratory specific. “With improved data consistency, the software has been of great assistance in tracking and identifying samples” states Apte.

At CloudLIMS, the growth plan is two-dimensional-continuous expansion of product compatibility and customization across many domains; and honing its in-depth knowledge of industry in delivering high-end laboratory software products. “Foraying further in the laboratory information management arena, we are in the developmental phase of an Electronic Laboratory Notebook that facilitates real-time tracking of experiments,” assures Apte.