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| <div class="nonumtoc">__TOC__</div> | | <div class="nonumtoc">__TOC__</div> |
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| '''Title''': ''Is there a benefit to utilizing both a LIMS and an ELN in the lab?''
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| '''Author for citation''': Shawn E. Douglas
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| '''License for content''': [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International]
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| '''Publication date''': March 2023
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| ==Introduction==
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| ==The ELN and what it does outside the scope of a LIMS==
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| To answer the question, knowledge of what an ELN does and what it addresses outside of a LIMS is important. An ELN is a modern electronic equivalent of the traditional paper-based [[laboratory notebook]], which historically has served as a collection of scribblings—often with individual, regional, or temporal idiosyncratic styles of "subjectivity, unruliness, and privacy"<ref name="HolmesArchRework03">{{cite book |title=Reworking the Bench - Research Notebooks in the History of Science |chapter=Introduction |series=Archimedes - New Studies in the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology |editor=Holmes, F.L.; Renn, J.; Rheinberger, H.-J. |publisher=Kluwer Academic Publishers |volume=7 |pages=vii–xv |year=2003 |isbn=9780306481529 |doi=10.1007/0-306-48152-9}}</ref>—concerning the notes and protocols of one or more particular scientific research endeavors.<ref name="HolmesArchRework03" /><ref name="NussbeckTheLab14">{{cite journal |last=Nussbeck |first=Sara Y |last2=Weil |first2=Philipp |last3=Menzel |first3=Julia |last4=Marzec |first4=Bartlomiej |last5=Lorberg |first5=Kai |last6=Schwappach |first6=Blanche |year=2014 |title=The laboratory notebook in the 21 st century: The electronic laboratory notebook would enhance good scientific practice and increase research productivity |url=https://www.embopress.org/doi/10.15252/embr.201338358 |journal=EMBO reports |language=en |volume=15 |issue=6 |pages=631–634 |doi=10.15252/embr.201338358 |issn=1469-221X |pmc=PMC4197872 |pmid=24833749}}</ref> In recent times, these scribblings have become more recognizably organized and thorough as a necessary part of presenting all the details of experiments, observations, and analyses such that the results can be reproduced and verified by peers in the scientific community (often referred to as part of a broader "reproducibility crisis").<ref name="NussbeckTheLab14" /><ref name="DirnaglAPocket16">{{cite journal |last=Dirnagl |first=Ulrich |last2=Przesdzing |first2=Ingo |date=2016-01-04 |title=A pocket guide to electronic laboratory notebooks in the academic life sciences |url=https://f1000research.com/articles/5-2/v1 |journal=F1000Research |language=en |volume=5 |pages=2 |doi=10.12688/f1000research.7628.1 |issn=2046-1402 |pmc=PMC4722687 |pmid=26835004}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hunter |first=Philip |date=2017-09 |title=The reproducibility “crisis”: Reaction to replication crisis should not stifle innovation |url=https://www.embopress.org/doi/10.15252/embr.201744876 |journal=EMBO reports |language=en |volume=18 |issue=9 |pages=1493–1496 |doi=10.15252/embr.201744876 |issn=1469-221X |pmc=PMC5579390 |pmid=28794201}}</ref> As laboratory research has increasingly incorporated more digital sources of data and information from instruments and other sources, labs conducting laboratory notebook-assisted research today—in both academic and industrial environments—have had to necessarily look at old paper notebook formats as antiquated and incompatible with modern research methods and increasingly digitalized workflows.<ref name="NussbeckTheLab14" /><ref name="DirnaglAPocket16" />
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| As a modern substitute for the paper-based laboratory notebook, the ELN at its core intends to similarly provide a means to document experiments, observations, and analyses but in a more organized, consistent, readable, searchable, and shareable way. Because it is software, additional thought has gone into the development of an ELN to allow users to do their research more effectively while integrating with other digital instruments and software solutions to capture and manage data and information closer to real-time. As a result, today's ELNs take many shapes and forms, many of them being developed to address the needs of specific research activities, such as biology and DNA [[sequencing]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Barillari |first=Caterina |last2=Ottoz |first2=Diana S. M. |last3=Fuentes-Serna |first3=Juan Mariano |last4=Ramakrishnan |first4=Chandrasekhar |last5=Rinn |first5=Bernd |last6=Rudolf |first6=Fabian |date=2016-02-15 |title=openBIS ELN-LIMS: an open-source database for academic laboratories |url=https://academic.oup.com/bioinformatics/article/32/4/638/1743839 |journal=Bioinformatics |language=en |volume=32 |issue=4 |pages=638–640 |doi=10.1093/bioinformatics/btv606 |issn=1367-4811 |pmc=PMC4743625 |pmid=26508761}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last=Plass |first=Fabian |last2=Englisch |first2=Silvan |last3=Apeleo Zubiri |first3=Benjamin |last4=Pflug |first4=Lukas |last5=Spiecker |first5=Erdmann |last6=Stingl |first6=Michael |date=2023-11-22 |title=Using OpenBIS as Virtual Research Environment: An ELN-LIMS Open-Source Database Tool as a Framework within the CRC 1411 Design of Particulate Products |url=https://account.datascience.codata.org/index.php/up-j-dsj/article/view/1500 |journal=Data Science Journal |volume=22 |pages=44 |doi=10.5334/dsj-2023-044 |issn=1683-1470}}</ref> or chemical analysis.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Tremouilhac |first=Pierre |last2=Nguyen |first2=An |last3=Huang |first3=Yu-Chieh |last4=Kotov |first4=Serhii |last5=Lütjohann |first5=Dominic Sebastian |last6=Hübsch |first6=Florian |last7=Jung |first7=Nicole |last8=Bräse |first8=Stefan |date=2017-12 |title=Chemotion ELN: an Open Source electronic lab notebook for chemists in academia |url=https://jcheminf.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13321-017-0240-0 |journal=Journal of Cheminformatics |language=en |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=54 |doi=10.1186/s13321-017-0240-0 |issn=1758-2946 |pmc=PMC5612905 |pmid=29086216}}</ref> However, the sheer number of research use cases and workflows across numerous disciplines and experiment types, as well as varying vendor approaches to ELN development, can lead to difficulty in finding the right ELN for a given lab<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Higgins |first=Stuart G. |last2=Nogiwa-Valdez |first2=Akemi A. |last3=Stevens |first3=Molly M. |date=2022-02 |title=Considerations for implementing electronic laboratory notebooks in an academic research environment |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41596-021-00645-8 |journal=Nature Protocols |language=en |volume=17 |issue=2 |pages=179–189 |doi=10.1038/s41596-021-00645-8 |issn=1754-2189}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Loveluck, J. |date=08 October 2020 |title=Finding the Right Electronic Lab Notebook with the Corey Lab |work=Harvard Research Data Management |url=https://datamanagement.hms.harvard.edu/news/finding-right-electronic-lab-notebook-corey-lab |publisher=Harvard Medical School |accessdate=05 March 2024}}</ref>, even leading some to develop their own custom ELNs<ref name="LiscouskiTheApp21">{{cite web |url=https://www.limswiki.org/index.php/LII:The_Application_of_Informatics_to_Scientific_Work:_Laboratory_Informatics_for_Newbies#Expanding_the_research_team |title=LII:The Application of Informatics to Scientific Work: Laboratory Informatics for Newbies |author=Liscouski, J. |editor=Douglas, S.E. |work=LIMSwiki |date=April 2021 |accessdate=05 March 2024}}</ref>, often as an extension of some other piece of software like a knowledge management system<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Khan |first=Arshad M. |last2=Hahn |first2=Joel D. |last3=Cheng |first3=Wei-Cheng |last4=Watts |first4=Alan G. |last5=Burns |first5=Gully A. P. C. |date=2006 |title=NeuroScholar\'s Electronic Laboratory Notebook and Its Application to Neuroendocrinology |url=http://link.springer.com/10.1385/NI:4:2:139 |journal=Neuroinformatics |language=en |volume=4 |issue=2 |pages=139–162 |doi=10.1385/NI:4:2:139 |issn=1539-2791 |pmc=PMC4476904 |pmid=16845166}}</ref>, course management system<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Cardenas, M. |year=2014 |title=An Implementation of Electronic Laboratory Notebooks (ELN) Using a Learning Management System Platform in an Undergraduate Experimental Engineering Course |url=https://peer.asee.org/an-implementation-of-electronic-laboratory-notebooks-eln-using-a-learning-management-system-platform-in-an-undergraduate-experimental-engineering-course.pdf |format=PDF |journal=Proceedings of the 121st ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition |pages=24.164.1–16 |at=9040}}</ref>, or note-taking application.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Guerrero |first=Santiago |last2=López-Cortés |first2=Andrés |last3=García-Cárdenas |first3=Jennyfer M. |last4=Saa |first4=Pablo |last5=Indacochea |first5=Alberto |last6=Armendáriz-Castillo |first6=Isaac |last7=Zambrano |first7=Ana Karina |last8=Yumiceba |first8=Verónica |last9=Pérez-Villa |first9=Andy |last10=Guevara-Ramírez |first10=Patricia |last11=Moscoso-Zea |first11=Oswaldo |date=2019-05-09 |editor-last=Ouellette |editor-first=Francis |title=A quick guide for using Microsoft OneNote as an electronic laboratory notebook |url=https://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006918 |journal=PLOS Computational Biology |language=en |volume=15 |issue=5 |pages=e1006918 |doi=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006918 |issn=1553-7358 |pmc=PMC6508581 |pmid=31071077}}</ref>
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| Despite the diverse needs of a wide variety of academic and industrial research labs in regards to ELNs, there are some functional aspects that stand out as being somewhat unique to the software, even when compared to common [[laboratory informatics]] solutions like a LIMS or [[laboratory information system]] (LIS). This includes<ref name="NussbeckTheLab14" /><ref name="DirnaglAPocket16" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name="KanzaElect17">{{Cite journal |last=Kanza |first=Samantha |last2=Willoughby |first2=Cerys |last3=Gibbins |first3=Nicholas |last4=Whitby |first4=Richard |last5=Frey |first5=Jeremy Graham |last6=Erjavec |first6=Jana |last7=Zupančič |first7=Klemen |last8=Hren |first8=Matjaž |last9=Kovač |first9=Katarina |date=2017-12 |title=Electronic lab notebooks: can they replace paper? |url=https://jcheminf.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13321-017-0221-3 |journal=Journal of Cheminformatics |language=en |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=31 |doi=10.1186/s13321-017-0221-3 |issn=1758-2946 |pmc=PMC5443717 |pmid=29086051}}</ref><ref name="KnippenbergBest18">{{Cite web |last=Knippenberg, R. |date=30 June 2018 |title=Best Practices for Electronic Laboratory Notebook Implementation in R&D Labs |work=Astrix Insights |url=https://astrixinc.com/best-practices-for-electronic-laboratory-notebook-implementation-in-rd-labs/ |publisher=Astrix, Inc |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208184311/https://astrixinc.com/best-practices-for-electronic-laboratory-notebook-implementation-in-rd-labs/ |archivedate=08 December 2023 |date=30 June 2018 |accessdate=05 March 2024}}</ref><ref name="CoveyElectronic19">{{cite web |url=https://www.rockefeller.edu/markus-library/uploads/www.rockefeller.edu/sites/207/2019/05/Electronic-Notebooks-CCTS.pdf |format=PDF |title=Electronic Lab Notebooks: From paper to screen, keeping track of your research |author=Covey, M.; Goto, R.; Ceglia, I. |publisher=Rita and Frits Markus Library, Rockefeller University |date=May 2019 |accessdate=05 March 2024}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Argento |first=Nicolas |date=2020-03-04 |title=Institutional ELN/LIMS deployment: Highly customizable ELN/LIMS platform as a cornerstone of digital transformation for life sciences research institutes |url=https://www.embopress.org/doi/10.15252/embr.201949862 |journal=EMBO reports |language=en |volume=21 |issue=3 |pages=e49862 |doi=10.15252/embr.201949862 |issn=1469-221X |pmc=PMC7054672 |pmid=32129000}}</ref>:
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| *direct real-time recording of data and information in various (standard) formats like text, images, tables, chromatograms, and raw data files;
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| *robust support for tagging, searching, and reusing data, information, files, etc.;
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| *support for standard vocabularies and [[metadata]] schemes, including semantic enrichment schemes<ref name="PASemantic24">{{cite web |url=https://www.pistoiaalliance.org/projects/current-projects/semantic-enrichment-of-eln-data/ |title=Semantic Enrichment of Electronic Lab Notebook Data |author=Prior, D. |publisher=Pistoia Alliance |date=21 January 2024 |accessdate=06 March 2024}}</ref>;
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| *lending of structure to data and information through the use of preformatted or customizable templates with drag-and-drop support;
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| *flexible creation of links between records, including reference managers and other notebooks;
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| *group, project, and experiment management;
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| *import and export functionality, particularly in standard, portable file formats;
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| *storage of fully searchable records in a secure database format, with automatic backup;
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| *inclusion of messaging and commenting functionality for better collaboration;
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| *inclusion of safety data, including flags for dangerous chemicals;
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| *data integrity and security tools like electronic signatures, time-stamped audit logs, controlled access levels, version control, automated import of instrument data, and archiving capabilities;
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| *generation of secure forms that accept laboratory data input real-time via a computing device and/or laboratory equipment (i.e., integration);
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| *accommodation of a scheduling option for routine procedures such as equipment qualification and study-related timelines;
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| *support for standard chemical, genetic, and other molecular libraries, visualization, and nomenclature formats, e.g., LaTeX; and
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| *inventory management of instruments, reagents, samples, etc. (usually associated with a LIMS or separate system, but useful as an integrated option within an ELN<ref name="DirnaglAPocket16" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1" />).
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| Note that the more functionality bolted on to an ELN, the greater chance of overall cost and complexity of use increasing, in turn negatively impacting overall adoption of the ELN by laboratorians.<ref name="DirnaglAPocket16" /> The ELN also needs to be intuitive, easy-to-learn, and well-documented in order to better ensure full adoption.<ref name=":0" />
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| ==Pairing a LIMS and ELN together==
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| After browsing some of the ELN functionality listed above, comparisons to some types of LIMS functionality become easier. From instrument integration and data integrity mechanisms to equipment scheduling and inventory management, the LIMS and ELN can most certainly share functionality.<ref name="DirnaglAPocket16" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name="DouglasLIMSpec22">{{cite web |url=https://www.limswiki.org/index.php/LII:LIMSpec_2022_R2 |title=LIMSpec 2022 R2 |author=Douglas, S.E. |work=LIMSwiki |date=December 2022 |accessdate=06 March 2024}}</ref> This can be viewed as highly desirable by some organizations<ref name=":1" />, while others may be frustrated by the introduction of a similar standalone system and an impediment to the original desire for the time-saving benefits of digitizing and integrating workflows and systems with a LIMS.<ref name=":0" /> After all, it's even more work to learn how to effectively use another system like an ELN after spending time and energy on learning to use a LIMS.<ref name="DirnaglAPocket16" /><ref name=":1" />
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| So why would a lab pair an ELN with a LIMS? Is there a benefit to utilizing both? First, as noted prior, both academic and industrial research laboratories are the typical users of an ELN, with adoption by academic research labs slightly lagging industrial research labs.<ref name="KanzaElect17" /> The ELN is a replacement for the laboratory notebook, typically used in research settings to document research workflows. (While there may be legitimate non-research use cases for an ELN, it is beyond the scope of this article to address them, and thus this article assumes research-based use.) Use cases of an ELN include<ref name="DePalmaAClose12">{{cite web |url=https://www.labmanager.com/a-close-look-at-lims-and-elns-16191 |title=A Close Look at LIMS and ELNs |author=DePalma, A. |work=Lab Manager |date=06 September 2012 |accessdate=06 March 2024}}</ref><ref name="WuBarrier22">{{cite web |url=https://www.tetrascience.com/blog/barrier-busting-bringing-eln-and-lims-scientific-data-together |title=Barrier Busting: Bringing ELN and LIMS Scientific Data Together |author=Wu, Y. |work=TetraScience Blog |date=27 June 2022 |accessdate=06 March 2024}}</ref><ref name="SLThePotent23">{{cite web |url=https://www.starlims.com/resources/the-potent-combination-of-eln-and-lims-the-fast-track-from-ideation-to-commercialization/ |title=The Potent Combination of ELN and LIMS: The Fast-Track from Ideation to Commercialization |publisher=STARLIMS Corporation |date=03 November 2023 |accessdate=06 March 2023}}</ref>:
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| #those working strictly in R&D, focusing on innovation and proof-of-concept delivery as easily and efficiently as possible in order to get to market faster;
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| #those working beyond strict innovation and proof-of-concept, taking those ideas into more demanding production-based experimentation, where processes and procedures must strictly be followed; and
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| #advanced, multi-department research and production environments where integrated systems management is essential to ensuring a clean continuum of data and information across an entire product lifecycle, as well as more timely and efficient workflows.
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| In the first case, a LIMS is most likely not necessary, with the ELN providing the most benefit. It's only with perhaps the second case and often the third case that pairing an ELN with a LIMS begins to make some sense, particularly if there's a greater need for sample traceability and management/enforcement of standard operating procedures and/or test methods.<ref name=":2" /> And even then multiple considerations need to be made. Additionally, these considerations may vary based upon the existing technology environment at the lab, e.g., if the lab is moving in full from a completely paper-based workflow to an electronic workflow that intends to incorporate both systems, or if the lab has one system and wants to add the other. Is there a definitive need for both systems? If so, does it make sense to acquire them separately, or are purpose-built solutions that combine LIMS functionality with ELN functionality a viable solution? What are the cost, vendor lock-in, data and information export, maintenance, IT, integration, data cleansing, change management, and workflow considerations to be made? Do proposed solutions manage both structured and unstructured data well? If two separate solutions (rather than a single combined solution) are being considered, will they both not only integrate well with the labs' instruments and software, but also with each other?<ref name=":0" /><ref name="KnippenbergBest18" /><ref name="DePalmaAClose12" /><ref name="WuBarrier22" />
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| Those considerations made, there indeed can be some benefit to using both a LIMS and an ELN in the lab.
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| ==Conclusion==
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| ==References==
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| {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
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