Medicines Discovery Catapult - Electronic Laboratory Notebook (ELN) and Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)

Research data is the primary deliverable of MDC and it is essential to have an evident and secure way of its documentation. The data will be used to advance internal capability-build and external fee-for-service research projects from a diverse set of scientific technologies, including Mass Spectrometry, Imaging, In-vivo Imaging, Complex Cells, Biomarker and Target Engagement & Validation studies. Consistent with MDC's vision of collaborative working, the platform must enable seamless data sharing for internal and external projects with scientists and institutions.

The software's main task is to document research data and to provide evidence of Good Laboratory Practice as well as improving lab productivity and efficiency, by keeping track of data associated with samples, experiments, laboratory workflows, and instruments. MDC does not currently have a commercial ELN as the previous ELN contract ended in July 2021.

The current means of tracking samples and laboratory consumables is a combination of paper-based documentation and Microsoft spreadsheets. This is no longer fit for purpose as the business expands and diversifies to include work with clinical samples. As such, MDC now requires a robust LIMS with full traceability to ensure that quality is maintained and to readily demonstrate the integrity of work involving clinical samples.