Laboratory information management system
The features and uses of a LIMS have evolved over the years from simple sample tracking to an enterprise resource planning tool that manages multiple aspects of laboratory informatics.
The term "LIMS" has tended to refer to informatics systems targeted for environmental, research, or commercial analysis such as pharmaceutical or petrochemical work.
"LIS" has tended to refer to laboratory informatics systems in the forensics and clinical markets, which often required special case management tools.
"PDES" has generally applied to a wider scope, including, for example, virtual manufacturing techniques, while not necessarily integrating with laboratory equipment.
Up until the late 1970s, the management of laboratory samples and the associated analysis and reporting were time-consuming manual processes often riddled with transcription errors.
As the interest in these early LIMS grew, industry leaders like Gerst Gibbon of the Federal Energy Technology Center in Pittsburgh began planting the seeds through LIMS-related conferences.
From 1996 to 2002 additional functionality was included, from wireless networking and georeferencing of samples, to the adoption of XML standards and Internet purchasing.
Modern LIMS have implemented extensive configurability as each laboratory's needs for tracking additional data points can vary widely.
The LIMS may then import instrument results files to extract data for quality control assessment of the operation on the sample.
[3] Modern targeted assays such as qPCR and deep sequencing can produce tens of thousands of data points per sample.
The disadvantages of client-side LIMS include the need for more robust client computers and more time-consuming upgrades, as well as a lack of base functionality through a web browser.
[4] Although there is a claim of improved security through the use of a thick-client LIMS,[4] this is based on the misconception that "only users with the client application installed on their PC can access server side information".
This secrecy-of-design reliance is known as security through obscurity and ignores an adversary's ability to mimic client-server interaction through, for example, reverse engineering, network traffic interception, or simply purchasing a thick-client license.
The actual LIMS software resides on a server (host) which feeds and processes information without saving it to the user's hard disk.
To this end, a true thin-client LIMS will leave no "footprint" on the client's computer, and only the integrity of the web browser need be maintained by the user.
The advantages of this system include significantly lower cost of ownership and fewer network and client-side maintenance expenses.
A sort of hybrid architecture that incorporates the features of thin-client browser usage with a thick client installation exists in the form of a web-based LIMS.
Though some may choose to opt out of an MSW after the first year, it is often more economical to continue the plan in order to receive updates to the LIMS, giving it a longer life span in the laboratory.
However, the added disadvantages of requiring always-on access to the host server and the need for cross-platform functionality mean that additional overhead costs may arise.
Until recently, the LIMS and Laboratory Information System (LIS) have exhibited a few key differences, making them noticeably separate entities.
A LIMS may need to satisfy good manufacturing practice (GMP) and meet the reporting and audit needs of the regulatory bodies and research scientists in many different industries.
