The University of Sheffield Automates its Biorepository Data Management Operations using CloudLIMS

While attending a conference in London, Steven Haynes, discovered CloudLIMS and its laboratory management software. Steven then contacted the CloudLIMS team and undertook a full product demo. After thorough evaluation of CloudLIMS and other competitive software, Sheffield Biorepository enlisted CloudLIMS for automating their biobanking data management operations.

The CloudLIMS team presented a detailed product demonstration of CloudLIMS to the Sheffield Biorepository. In this session, the team explained how CloudLIMS can readily accommodate any lab-specific data with the help of its in-built configuration module and automatic mapping of headers. They illustrated the configuration of a sample data form and imported the sample data file seamlessly. They also put forward the advanced product functionality, such as, Subject, Test, Request, Package & Shipment, Inventory and Study management modules.

Provisions for the maintenance of appropriate and secure systems to ensure confidentiality and privacy in recording keeping, storage and release of data was a requisite at Sheffield Biorepository. CloudLIMS could address this concern with its security measures taken at the server level such as 256 bit (HTTPS protocol) AES encryption. Sheffield Biorepository required all personal information of the donors to be stored, handled and samples disposed of in accordance with The Data Protection Act (1998), the University of Sheffield and STHFT Data Protection Policies.

At the application level, the Subject module in CloudLIMS outlined how the complete donor information including clinical diagnosis can be securely recorded with permission settings for user-group and user-role based access in their biorepository. Besides this, being cloud based, CloudLIMS ensured data integrity with its disaster recovery plans, which otherwise is impossible with on-premise solutions.

With inherent advanced search tools, using multiple filters across various modules, CloudLIMS proved to be the perfect coding and record system that facilitated the traceability of human samples stored at the Sheffield Biorepository. “CloudLIMS has set a feasible environment for our staff to capture and maintain our biorepository records in a safe and flexible electronic canvas”, says Steven.

Having CloudLIMS, delivered as SaaS, the University of Sheffield was able to avoid huge investments in IT infrastructure and product maintenance. They are also poised to reap additional benefits from CloudLIMS with its complimentary services such as product configuration, training and technical support. Using the program’s universal uploader, Sheffield Biorepository has imported its legacy data with up to 230,000 samples so far uploaded. This was achieved in a 6 month time frame, whereas a previous database implementation had taken over a year to partially upload 60,000 samples before being retired.

CloudLIMS has remarkably reduced their sample turnaround times and maintaining records for sample logistics & auditing is no longer cumbersome. Scheduling and reporting the daily, weekly, monthly or annual maintenance alerts for the storage facility is now much easier and hassle-free with the Lab Inventory module. Further, CloudLIMS has recently provided them with additional resources to manage their scaled-up biorepository operations, without increasing IT costs.