The Origins Of LIMS And What They Do Today

By Karen Smith


When it comes to research laboratories, no matter what kind of science is taking place, there are going to be massive amounts of data and information that needs to be recorded. That is why all modern labs are equipped with something called a LIMS, or a laboratory information management system. LIS or LMS, laboratory information system and laboratory management system respectively, all serve similar purposes, but it is important to be aware of the subtle differences between them.

These information systems are types of software that are used in all modern laboratories around the world. In order to manage all of the data and information that these sophisticated and complex facilities go through on a daily basis, these systems play a crucial role. The job of software like this is to support all of the many different operations that the lab undergoes, making higher levels of research not only possible but also much easier.

Some of the key things that this kind of a system helps in a laboratory is keeping track of all the workflow that goes on in the facility. It is also a way of tracking all of the data that is recorded so that it is easy to access and understand. With the many different kinds of specialty labs that are out there, the uses of these kinds of systems go far beyond these basic examples.

Management systems have been around in many different forms over the years, but as science has become more advanced, so too have these systems. In the beginning, they were just used to track samples and not much else. Nowadays, the systems are used as highly advanced programs that can put huge amounts of data together at speeds people of yesteryear could only dream of.

If someone asks four scientists what they consider an information system for laboratories to be, they're likely to get four different answers. This is because a person's definition may vary depending on what kind of science they are in. Knowing what a scientist really means is important.

There are a number of different categories that these systems are put in, but it is easy to see that the main purposes remain the same across all of them. The specific needs of some labs have led to some that have special tools to look at commercial and research aspects. Others are mainly for the clinical and forensic side of things.

As laboratory sciences have grown more advanced, the uses of information management systems have grown immensely since they were first used. One of the big ways it helps researchers is by bringing together the different core branches of science. Some of the ways that these systems' uses have become more advanced have caused the different types to become more similar in use.

Back in the days when manual data entry was necessary, it was much easier to accidentally record a number wrong or for the records to be compromised than it is today. Removing this potential for error makes a big difference in securing the accurate results of an experiment or research study. It is amazing to think of the amount of money and time that was wasted due to a simple transcription error.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment