Laboratory informatics is the specialized application of information technology aimed at optimizing and extending laboratory operations. It encompasses

data acquisition Data acquisition is the process of sampling signals that measure real-world physical conditions and converting the resulting samples into digital numeric values that can be manipulated by a computer. Data acquisition systems, abbreviated by the ...

(e.g. through sensors and hardware or voice), instrument interfacing, laboratory networking,

data processing Data processing is the collection and manipulation of digital data to produce meaningful information. Data processing is a form of ''information processing'', which is the modification (processing) of information in any manner detectable by an o ...

, specialized data management systems (such as a chromatography data system), a

laboratory information management system A laboratory information management system (LIMS), sometimes referred to as a laboratory information system (LIS) or laboratory management system (LMS), is a software-based solution with features that support a modern laboratory's operations. K ...

, scientific data management (including

data mining Data mining is the process of extracting and finding patterns in massive data sets involving methods at the intersection of machine learning, statistics, and database systems. Data mining is an interdisciplinary subfield of computer science and ...

and

data warehousing In computing, a data warehouse (DW or DWH), also known as an enterprise data warehouse (EDW), is a system used for Business intelligence, reporting and data analysis and is a core component of business intelligence. Data warehouses are central Re ...

), and knowledge management (including the use of an

electronic lab notebook An electronic lab notebook or electronic laboratory notebook (ELN) is a computer program designed to replace paper laboratory notebooks. Lab notebooks in general are used by scientists, engineers, and technicians to document research, experiments ...

). It has become more prevalent with the rise of other "

informatics Informatics is the study of computational systems. According to the Association for Computing Machinery, ACM Europe Council and Informatics Europe, informatics is synonymous with computer science and computing as a profession, in which the centra ...

" disciplines such as

bioinformatics Bioinformatics () is an interdisciplinary field of science that develops methods and Bioinformatics software, software tools for understanding biological data, especially when the data sets are large and complex. Bioinformatics uses biology, ...

cheminformatics Cheminformatics (also known as chemoinformatics) refers to the use of physical chemistry theory with computer and information science techniques—so called "'' in silico''" techniques—in application to a range of descriptive and prescriptive ...

and

health informatics Health informatics combines communications, information technology (IT), and health care to enhance patient care and is at the forefront of the medical technological revolution. It can be viewed as a branch of engineering and applied science. ...

. Several graduate programs are focused on some form of laboratory informatics, often with a clinical emphasis. A closely related - some consider subsuming - field is

laboratory automation Laboratory automation is a multi-disciplinary strategy to research, develop, optimize and capitalize on technologies in the laboratory that enable new and improved processes. Laboratory automation professionals are academic, commercial and gove ...

Capability Areas

In the context of Public Health Laboratories, the Association of Public Health Laboratories has identified 19 areas for self-assessment of laboratory informatics in their Laboratories Efficiencies Initiative. These include the following Capability Areas. * Laboratory Test Request and Sample Receiving * Test Preparation, LIMS Processing, Test Results Recording and Verification * Report Preparation and Distribution * Laboratory Test Scheduling * Prescheduled Testing * Specimen and Sample Tracking/Chain of Custody * Media, Reagents, Controls: Manufacturing and Inventory * Interoperability and Data Exchange * Statistical Analysis and Surveillance * Billing for Laboratory Services * Contract and Grant Management * Training, Education and Resource Management * Laboratory Certifications/Licensing *

Customer Relationship Management Customer relationship management (CRM) is a strategic process that organizations use to manage, analyze, and improve their interactions with customers. By leveraging data-driven insights, CRM helps businesses optimize communication, enhance cus ...

* Quality Control (QC) and

Quality Assurance Quality assurance (QA) is the term used in both manufacturing and service industries to describe the systematic efforts taken to assure that the product(s) delivered to customer(s) meet with the contractual and other agreed upon performance, design ...

(QA) Management * Laboratory Safety and Accident Investigation * Laboratory Mutual Assistance/Disaster Recovery * Core

IT Service Management Information technology service management (ITSM) are the activities performed by an organization to design, build, deliver, operate and control IT services offered to customers. Differing from more technology-oriented IT management approach ...

: Hardware, Software and Services * Policies and Procedures, including Budgeting and Funding

Sub-topics

Laboratory information management system A laboratory information management system (LIMS), sometimes referred to as a laboratory information system (LIS) or laboratory management system (LMS), is a software-based solution with features that support a modern laboratory's operations. K ...

(LIMS) * List of LIMS software packages * Chromatography data system (CDS) *

Electronic lab notebook An electronic lab notebook or electronic laboratory notebook (ELN) is a computer program designed to replace paper laboratory notebooks. Lab notebooks in general are used by scientists, engineers, and technicians to document research, experiments ...

(ELN) *

List of ELN software packages An electronic lab notebook (also known as electronic laboratory notebook, or ELN) is a computer program designed to replace paper laboratory notebooks. Lab notebooks in general are used by scientists, engineers, and technicians to document rese ...

Organizations

Society for Laboratory Automation & Screening (SLAS)
*

American Association for Clinical Chemistry The Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (formerly known as the American Association for Clinical Chemistry or AACC) is a global scientific society dedicated to clinical laboratory science and its application to healthcare. ADLM's cu ...

(AACC)
Laboratory Informatics Institute

Publications

American Laboratory

* Nakagawa, Allen S., ''LIMS implementation and management'', Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry, 1994 * Liscouski, Joe, ''Laboratory and Scientific Computing a Strategic Approach'', John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1995 * Gibbon, Gerst, "A Brief History of LIMS", ''Laboratory Automation and Information Management'' 1996, ''32(1)'', 1-5 * Myers, J. D.; Fox-Dobbs, C.; Laird, J.; Le, Dai; Reich, D.; Curtz, T., "Electronic laboratory notebooks for collaborative research", In ''Proceedings of the 5th International Workshops on Enabling Technologies: Infrastructure for Collaborative Enterprises (WET ICE'96) (WET-ICE '96)'' IEEE Computer Society, Washington, DC, USA, 1996, 47-. * Paszko, Christine; Pugsley, Carol, "Considerations in selecting a laboratory information management system (LIMS)", ''American Laboratory'', 2000, ''32(18)'', 38-42 * Paszko, Christine; Turner, Elizabeth; Hinton, Mary D., ''Laboratory Information Management Systems'', Revised & Expanded. CRC Press, 2001 * Tracy, Douglas S.; Nash, Robert A., "A Validation Approach for Laboratory Information Management Systems", ''Journal of Validation Technology'', 2002, ''9(1)'', 6-14 * Perry, Douglas
"Laboratory Informatics: Origin, Scope, and its Place in Higher Education"
''Journal of the Association for Laboratory Automation'', 2004, ''9(6)'', 421 - 428 * Sterling, James D.
"Laboratory Automation Education"
''Journal of the Association for Laboratory Automation'', 2004, ''9(5)'', A11-A12 * Sterling, James D.
"Laboratory automation curriculum at Keck Graduate Institute"
''Journal of the Association for Laboratory Automation'', 2004, ''9(5)'', 331-335 * Taylor, Keith
"The status of electronic laboratory notebooks for chemistry and biology"
''Current Opinion in Drug Discovery & Development'', 2006, ''9(3)'': 348-353 * Wood, Simon,
"Comprehensive Laboratory Informatics: A Multilayer Approach"
''American Laboratory'', 2007, ''39(16)'', 20-23 * Metrick, Gloria
"Three Issues of LIMS/Laboratory Informatics That Can Cost Money"
''American Laboratory'', 2007, ''39(21)'', 10-11 * Calva, Diana; Lehman, Mario
"An analysis of the possible applications of Artificial Intelligence Techniques to a Clinical Laboratory Information Management System"
''International Journal of Computer Science and Network Security'', 2008, ''8(12)'', 82-86 * Shah, Kim
"Elevating laboratory informatics to assist decision-making"
''Pharmaceutical Technology Europe'', 2009, ''21(5)''

References

{{Informatics Laboratory equipment Science software Health informatics Data management software Information science by discipline

Capability Areas

Sub-topics

Organizations

Publications

See also

Further reading

References