Electronic Lab Notebooks

By Author: Jessica Ruro
Total Articles: 1
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An Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) is a software program designed to substitute paper lab books. Scientists and technicians to note their experimental results, protocols, observations and so on use such tool. What is the advantage despite using paper notebooks, currently broadly diffused in research labs ELN has been studied, as an interface in which is possible to collect huge amount of data, derived from several instruments. It's possible to manage chromatograms, spectra, calculations, and statistics by using only one software. To this purpose, ELN must to be flexible and have an out of the box configuration in order to be customized in respect to scientific exigencies of scientists. Several scientists can simultaneously use the same ELN and all lab members can add their data; thus, a broad vision of overall laboratory workflow is always updated. This point is really important for big groups, where more than ten people work together and data sharing is not so easy for different reasons, such as failure of communications or lack of time. ELN may help scientists at this point, allowing better communications between them and facilitating ...
... data traceability inside the laboratory.

An immediate advantage of this global vision ensured by ELN is the perfect planning and managing of experiments: what has been already done is always updated and what still to be done may be recorded, saving money and time. ELN allows scientists sharing experimental information and raw data, even if they work in different places around the world. Real time data sharing is fundamental to collaborate in a productive and efficient manner. Of course, in this context security is a must. ELN has been set up in order to satisfy all requirements to prevent unauthorized changes without substantial collusion of otherwise independent personnel. Furthermore, giving their use in pharmaceutical industry ELN is expected to comply FDA regulation about software validation.

In particular, FDA is concerned with system integrity and falsification avoidance to guarantee correctness of scientific and pharmaceutical production. Good laboratory procedures and Good manufacturing procedure may require ELN to store and classify data, making ELN a fundamental tool also in quality control assurance. Indeed, ELN may be directly connected to instruments, such as pHmeter, refrigerator or balances and record calibration data. In this way, validation sheets are directly filled without further work of scientists.

Last but not least, ELN allows saving space, because it is paperless. Traditional lab notebooks and files folders need a lot of space to be stored, while it is really easier to back up an IT notebook. What are some of the best ELNs on the market today? Check our Sciency ELN at www.ruro.com/sciency. In conclusion, ELN will be an essential tool in all labs within few years and global science will be a reality!

Jessica is a professional blog writer for Life Science blog and magazine. For more information on ELN and others Details please visit laboratory Website.