A laboratory information management system (LIMS), often called a laboratory management system (LMS) or laboratory information system (LIS). LIMS is a software-based solution. It has advanced features that aid a modern laboratory’s functions. LIMS includes various key features such as—flexible architecture, data exchange interfaces, workflow, and data tracking support. The functions and features of LIMS have progressed over the years from basic sample tracking to an enterprise resource planning tool. Now, LIMS is capable of handling multiple fields of laboratory informatics.
A Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) enables a user to manage the flow of data and samples effectively to facilitate the efficiency of the lab. A LIMS is useful in standardizing workflows, procedures, and tests. It provides accuracy to the process. To automate the assembling of test data, ensure they are properly measured and operated by experienced staff only, users may fuse instruments into the LIMS.
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Why should you use LIMS for your laboratory?
A Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) enables a user to manage the flow of samples and associated data effectively so that the lab efficiency improves. A LIMS helps systematize workflows, tests, and procedures while providing precise controls of the process. To automate the assembling of test data, ensuring they are properly gauged and managed by experienced staff only, users can fuse the instruments into the LIMS.
Today’s laboratories generate huge amounts of valuable data. Keeping a record of samples and related test information through the laboratory, and using the same to generate management reports, certificates of inspection, and other information-based insights are important in managing and developing the laboratory and the business it supports.
Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) have advanced to manage the laboratory workflow, organize the data efficiently and support the business of the laboratory. Additionally, they can drive and support regulatory and standards compliance.
What are the advantages offered by a LIMS system?
LIMS have variations but a proper setup of LIMS helps drive efficiency in the accomplishment of functions. The key advantages of laboratory information management system include:
- Defining and enforcing standard workflows to make sure procedures are always followed.
- Eliminating transcription misconception through instrument integration.
- Integrating with other systems (ERP, Accounting) to boost process efficiency.
- Reporting laboratory’s overhead and lowering the burden of management- a single electronic storehouse for all operational data; making the paperless laboratory a reality.
- Productivity increases and costs decrease through more efficient working.
- Regulatory compliances such as ISO17025, FDA 21 CFR Part 11 are supported by LIMS.
Key features of LIMS
Key features and applications of LIMS are as follows:
- Enforcing standard operating procedures to ensure duplicability.
- Managing staff training and capability.
- Maintaining and ordering instruments appropriately.
- Managing indexes and supplies.
- Tracking and managing the position of samples.
- Managing curative and preventative actions (CAPA) as part of the quality improvement cycle.
What are the different versions of LIMS available in the market?
Based on the functionality and the range of features offered by the LIMS system, it can be categorized into three major categories as follows:
- Highly configurable LIMS
A few LIMS platforms offer fully-functioning LIMS with additional customizable tools to meet the unique needs of a laboratory. They provide users with an auto-reporting dashboard with an integrated hospital/pharmacy setup. Advantages of a highly configurable LIMS include:
- The perfect LIMS plan for every circumstance.
- Easy for staff to grasp and adopt.
- A user-friendly system that supports their daily routines.
- Elimination of unnecessary plan steps and clicks through the system.
- Faster, more efficient, and more constructive working.
- Support for individual plans per individual, group, or location.
- Assist a single user or multi-department and multi-national systems
- Matrix Gemini LIMS
After the consolidation of over thirty years of development, Matrix Gemini is now used in laboratories across the globe. Matrix Configuration Tools aids super flexibility which results in quick implementation and an interface that is known and easy-to-user for each user. Auto scribe Informatics’ solutions are possessed with extraordinary graphical configuration capabilities. It does not require any custom coding to check if it is designed as per the requirements of the users. Because of configuration, a system is allowed to be adjusted perfectly under any circumstance with no compromise.
Matrix Gemini LIMS is essential to keep a check on the fact that, during configuration, the underlying software never changes. It is similar for all the users. Users are allowed to update their software without affecting their configuration at all as the configuration of the screens exists within the LIMS database itself.
Additionally, the expense of ownership reduces when a product is easy to configure. Also, it leads to long system life. Matrix Gemini LIMS, therefore, provides all the benefits of a highly configurable and sophisticated LIMS.
The advantages of Matrix Gemini LIMS are as follows:
- Similar underlying software for all users.
- LIMS database holds the configuration changes.
- Both desktop and web applications are configured only once.
- Software coding (Html, Java, C#, etc.) skills are not required.
- Customers are allowed to configure directly through graphical tools.
- Configuration changes requested by the users are fully supported.
- GenoFAB LIMS
GenoFAB is an advanced LIMS platform with unique features that provides it an edge over other LIMS systems in the market. Some of the key features of GenoFAB LIMS include:
- Label printing
Identifying laboratory samples is one of the most essential features of any LIMS. GenoFAB LIMS facilitates label printing. It is also one of the major drawbacks of most LIMS products. To the best of our experience, GenoFAB offers the only label printing solution that is web-based.
- Increase reproducibility
Instead of data analysis, most LIMS systems tend to assemble data for human consumption. GenoFAB has proved beneficial for the users to organize their data to increase reproducibility.
- No limit
LIMS companies have segmented their benefit in confusing product lines whose only vindication seems to generate upselling opportunities. Along with artificially imposing limits on access to features, they also limit the number of users who can acquire their system. Access to GenoFAB is provided for all the required features they need. GENOFAB is capable of inviting any number of users to join their accounts.
- Transparent pricing
LIMS vendors do not reveal their prices and this is one of the challenges faced while evaluating LIMS solutions. Potential users require asking for quotes that can sometimes be difficult to understand. LIMS prices can be tough to anticipate in the long term. GenoFAB transparent pricing makes it very simple for potential users to foresee their LIMS costs and expenses.
- Fair pricing
Users are not required to sign an annual contract to access the software. Many potential users of LIMS find it difficult to justify the annual expense of commercial LIMS. However, GenoFAB provides a model in which the expense of the LIMS is directly merged with the functions of the labs using GENOFAB.
What should users look for in LIMS software?
The major functionality of a LIMS is that it enables all relevant data to be stored in a single place, a single platform is provided for all laboratory activities, and facilitates paperless laboratory perspectives. Electronic interfaces facilitate mass spectrometry, chromatography, analyzers, and other instruments to be merged and directly provide test results to the LIMS.
A secure database holds the entire resulting data. Several notebooks and spreadsheets are not required. Many believe that the true benefit of a LIMS is being able to easily look for a single source of facts for the information required. The information can be collected and visualized in seconds whether it be restoring a 10-year-old certificate of analyzed data.
The choice of a LIMS software solution often becomes a complicated decision for the users. The Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) refers to the laboratory operating system. The following list provides a brief overview of the LIMS market in 2021.
How to select the best LIMS software for your laboratory?
The advancement of GenoFAB has a strong foundation utilizing different LIMS solutions. Commonly found modules in laboratory information management systems are included in it.
Laboratory management features like sample tracks are included in the list of software packages mentioned below. This is the basic function of these systems. Tools to facilitate the work of lab managers are a part of most of them.
There has been an intersection between LIMS applications and Electronic Laboratory Notebooks and LIMS solutions over the last decade. ELN features are added to laboratory information management products by most of the LIMS vendors.
Lab information management systems are data management solutions that are nothing more than just a misconception. It can be referred to as a part of a data management system. They serve a very certain impetus. Although, they require communication with other data services to increase the worth of the data they store.
A research team often finds it difficult and complicated to choose the best laboratory information management system (LIMS). The reason behind this is that LIMS are difficult to evaluate correctly before they’re used in the lab setting. Once the installation finishes, the efficiency of LIMS can be confirmed fully.
It can be very tough to transform to a new LIMS system once a LIMS is adopted by an organization despite the shortcomings of the current system. Rather than the transformation of the whole company at once, a progressive deployment is always recommended. In our opinion, a project-based deployment enables the team to measure the efficacy of a system under realistic circumstances. Doing so maximizes the return on investment, and minimizes risk up to a great extent.
Each team is advised to assess what kind of laboratory management system is best to meet its requirements. Exceptional features of lab operation such as animal colony management are best controlled by specialized applications. A list of options worth considerable is mentioned below.
Top 10 commercial LIMS systems in 2021
1. LabVantage
LabVantage is one of the commanders of the LIMS industry. They assert the position of “the most modern LIMS platform available,” which, while avowedly a bit indistinct, is backed up with tight unification between their lab execution system (LES), the LIMS solution, and their electronic lab notebook (ELN) offering. It specifically aims toward making the work of lab managers simpler, with features including work assignment and research planning functionality. The system also contains bulk data upload, data management capabilities, and automated issue tracking.
2. CoreLIMS
A product of Core Informatics, CoreLIMS has been a part of ThermoFisher since 2017. It possesses a modern structure that takes the benefit of scalable cloud technologies. In it, the third-party developers are allowed to build specialized applications that substitute the LIMS core functionality. As per our research, Core Informatics is the only LIMS provider that has skilled at building a spirited app marketplace. Although, the recent advancement of this marketplace under Thermo leadership is ambiguous.
3. eLABNext
Currently, eLab journal is a solution built by Bio-ITech BV who is now involved with Eppendorf. The platform is made of different products for lab notebooks, protocol management, and sample tracking.
4. Labworks
Labworks asserts to be the most easy-to-use, robust, easy-to-implement, and flexible LIMS solution present in the market.
5. LabCollector
LabCollector is software designed by a French software company, AgileBio. At the time of its release in 2002, LabCollector was probably the only LIMS to offer both price accessibility and browser-based interface to small industries.
6. BIOVIA LIMS
BIOVIA LIMS declares to be execution-centric instead of sample-centric. This solution is seemingly better customized toward the biomanufacturing industry instead of preclinical research.
7. Exemplar Research LIMS
Exemplar Research LIMS is a solution of Sapio Sciences. The company offers various flavors of this product for various industries, such as sequencing, histopathology, and research. Very little information is mentioned on the vendor website about the features, product architecture, and deployment options.
8. iLab
iLab is a management software solution from Agilent’s laboratory. This product focuses more on the management of resources than the management of data.
9. LabWare LIMS
LabWare LIMS has been one of the LIMS market initiators. At present, they offer both a cloud version of their LIMS and desktop.
10. BSI
BSI provides a specimen management solution that is web-based.
Free open-source LIMS solutions
There are some open sources and free LIMS alternatives significant considering for research teams on a budget. Research teams possessed with solid IT supports may find open source LIMS solutions particularly appealing.
1. BikaLIMS
This is an open-source project. A team from South Africa has operated its function actively since 2002. Customization for different industries is available on this platform. Our knowledge points out that it may be a perfect option for production labs instead of research labs.
2. Aquarium
This LIMS is under active progression by the Klavins lab at Washington University. Successfully installed by many synthetic biology labs, Aquarium LIMS is a process-centric software.
3. LeafLIMS
A process-centric LIMS was designed after considering synthetic biology.
4. Quartzy
An entirely free solution to manage a very particular area of laboratory management i.e. the procurement of supplies. The LIMS feature of Sample management is not a part of this.
Conclusion
Laboratory information management system offers a software-based platform that can be used to securely collect and share information instantaneously from any device. It offers in-built tools for workflow automation such as tracking sample information, maintaining work charts, log QA and QC documents, and more. Availability of LIMS as SaaS has widened its application in the clinical sector and increased its market value which is expected to reach $2.4 billion by the year 2026 with a CAGR of 9%.
In this article, we have discussed the commercial LIMS solutions available in the market that can be used for streamlining laboratory processes, increasing productivity, reducing specimen handling time, boosting lab efficacy, and improving turnaround time during clinical surges. We have also listed the top free and open-source LIMS tools that beginners can explore. In case you want to know more or have any queries, you may connect with us at SaaSworthy.
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