Data Management & LIMS

Facts & Details: 

Laboratory Information and Management System LIMS see below

Data Management

Maintaining state-of-the-art high throughput technology for medical research is meanwhile imperatively connected to comprehensive, high capacity IT infrastructure. The current exponential data growth in the field of multi-omics research, recommendations from the DFG and general privacy protection guidelines make data storage and management a challenging duty. The IKMB provides a huge portfolio of compute and storage facilities to its users and partners. A high-performance compute cluster with over 900 CPU cores, storage infrastructure encompassing over 1.8PB hard disk and 1.5PB tape archive, as well as a number of stand-alone high-performance computers are at our scientist's disposal.

Overview resources data management & LIMS

Current efforts include the virtualisation of most IT-resources implementing a local instance of the OpenStack platform (www.openstack.org), establishing a data storage infrastructure based on the iRODS data management system (www.irods.org) and consolidating dispersed storage-server infrastructure into a centralized EMC Isilon-based storage cluster.

 Contact: Dr. Georg Hemmrich-Stanisak

 

Laboratory Management and Information System - LIMSto top

Our LIMS (Laboratory Information and Management System) was developed in-house and consists of a relational database (Microsoft SQL Server 2005) including graphical user interfaces. It plays an important role in quality control and lab automation by facilitating lab processes for technical staff and enabling scientists to perform targeted data analyses. It is used for managing blood and DNA samples, proband, family and phenotype information as well as genetic markers and assays (TaqMan, Sequenom, Illumina). Genotypes can be imported and data for genetic analysis exported. Furthermore, the LIMS is employed for creating microtiter plates (96well and 384well) and organizing experiments as projects. All tools were written in Visual Basic (version 2010).

LIMS XPtools Viewplate

 

Since the initial development in 1998, the system has continually been adapted to the growing amount of data. It has also been improved with a view to optimizing quality control, efficiency of lab processes and management of complex genetic data. The LIMS is maintained and enhanced by programmers as well as by system administrators, who look after the database server, and documentalits, who are in charge of data administration and consistency.

Contact: Lars Kraemer

 

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