In scientific research, logistical planning is essential for enhancing productivity, reducing costs, and accelerating scientific discoveries. Whether the goal is to understand the mechanisms behind certain diseases or the development of therapeutics, discovery poses a huge logistical challenge. Technological innovation and new methodologies have led to cutting-edge therapeutics development once written about only in science fiction.
But logistical planning in the area of in vivo research requires taking an integrated-technology approach that brings together in vivo management software with new and emerging technologies such as laboratory information management systems (LIMSs), electronic lab notebooks (ELNs), the Internet of Things for real-time monitoring and management of laboratory animals, and data management tools such as advanced artificial intelligence. Collectively, those technologies facilitate the lab of the future.
The integration of in vivo systems with LIMSs or ELNs enhance data management, integrity, workflow efficiency, collaboration, data analysis capabilities, and resource optimization. Such integration contributes to improved research outcomes, regulatory compliance, and decision-making processes in drug discovery.
Technologies that power the lab of the future
In vivo management software
In vivo management software handles research facilities’ day-to-day operations. If a LIMs helps you find your consumables and an ELN can help document an entire project, then in vivo management software allows for study, process, and animal health management. Study design and designation of personnel are cornerstones in managing the logistics and the practical side of research.
Keeping personnel on track when it comes to handling tasks across multiple and complex projects is where in vivo management software is best used. Instead of arbitrary reliance on email to communicate what has to be done to finish a pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic study, in vivo management software can easily design studies, assign personnel to a task, and track the progress of experiments throughout a compound’s research and development.
LIMS
A LIMS serves as a hub for managing and organizing data, samples, and study-related information for in vivo research. A LIMS helps researchers locate the critical reagents, samples, and consumables housed within an organization’s facility.
A LIMS enables researchers to track amounts of compound, samples, and dispensed amounts for experiments taking place in the laboratory. A LIMS can also handle maintenance schedules and notify users when to recertify the sensitive equipment used in research. In essence, a LIMS serves as a comprehensive management tool, offering researchers a centralized platform for tracking, organizing, and managing laboratory resources.
ELN
An ELN replaces the traditional lab notebook that was used for years and years in laboratories. Gone are the days of chicken scratch in the margins of a notebook that could be deciphered only by a lab technician who left four years earlier. Just like their paper counterparts, ELNs are usually free-form and represent an effective way of documenting modifications to experimental protocols.
Because of ELN structure, someone who wants to engage in data collection through an ELN can expect a cumbersome task of working within the ELN’s limitations for precision documentation during experimentation. Think of an ELN as software for documenting an entire process or project and the input of scientists to improve experimentation, not necessarily data collection.
Data analysis and visualization tools
Data analysis and visualization tools enable researchers to analyze and interpret experimental data generated by in vivo studies. Integrating those tools with in vivo study management software enables researchers to perform advanced data analysis, visualize study results, and generate insights.
Benefits of integration
Integrating these various software solutions into your research facility can have a significant and positive impact on research logistics. Consider the benefits:
- You can document your reagents with a LIMS, which enables you to maintain your research velocity by ensuring reagents have not expired.
- An ELN can streamline experiment documentation, eliminating the challenge of having to decipher handwritten notes. An ELN lets you say goodbye to the arduous task of deciphering old notebooks and instead enables past experimental details to become easily accessible to new researchers entering your facility.
- Integrated data enables researchers to centralize all study-related information. Researchers can easily access, track, and organize data such as experimental protocols, study parameters, animal information, dosing schedules, and experimental results in the context of broader laboratory workflows.
- Integration with a LIMS or an ELN optimizes resource use by providing real-time visibility into study progress, resource availability, and equipment usage. Researchers can efficiently facilitate team coordination, project scheduling, and accurate data collection across experiments.
The days of emailing researchers and technicians their schedules are gone. The latest digital solutions have been developed to enhance research workflow and maintain rigor as researchers continue to develop new therapeutics. The benefits of the new solutions enable researchers to fail faster and develop insights into new compounds at higher outputs than more traditional methods do. Embracing these cutting-edge tools not only accelerates the pace of discovery but also fosters a culture of innovation in laboratories worldwide. As we continue to more and more harness the power of technology, we embark on a journey of endless possibilities.
