If you are running a busy lab, there are many benefits to a digital sample management solution. Biobanking refers to collecting, storing, and managing biological samples. It also involves the systematic storage and organisation of various types of biological materials, such as tissues, cells, DNA, blood, and body fluids, along with associated data.

Biobanking plays a crucial role in advancing medical research, personalized medicine, and the development of innovative therapies by providing researchers and healthcare professionals with access to high-quality biological samples and associated data. 

There are some key benefits of using a digital solution to support the above-mentioned process:

• Enhanced Data Organization
• Improved Sample Tracking and Traceability
• Enhanced Collaboration and Data Sharing
• Secure Data Management
• Efficient Sample Management

An example of such a solution is BiobanQ. With BiobanQ, laboratories can streamline their biobanking processes by digitising and automating sample management tasks. The platform allows users to efficiently track the location, quantity, and status of samples, ensuring easy retrieval when needed. It provides a centralized repository for storing and cataloguing diverse types of samples. With real-time access to information in a single place, you can access samples, track actions and prove traceability. 

BiobanQ offers a user-friendly interface, barcode reading, and API integration. It also helps you to:

• Track a range of diverse aliquots, 
• Get enhanced data traceability,
• Keep your aliquots secure,
• Manage a high volume of information,
• Extract more value from your samples,
• Simplify and improve auditability. 

Our team of experts is dedicated to helping you find the best solution for your laboratory needs. Whether you’re looking to streamline sample management, enhance data organisation, or improve overall efficiency, we are here to guide you. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our innovative SaaS solution BiobanQ and discover how our expertise can transform your lab operations!

The real power of LIMS can be unlocked when it is integrated with other software systems used by laboratories. This is where APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) come in – they allow LIMS applications to communicate with other software systems and devices, enabling a seamless flow of data and workflows across the laboratory ecosystem.

What is an API

API is an application programming interface that allows two or more software to communicate with each other. In LIMS, it refers to allowing developers to access and modify the data and functions of the LIMS. 

For example, imagine a laboratory receiving hundreds of samples every day from different sources, such as customers, research partners, and internal teams. Instead of manually entering the sample information into the LIMS system, the laboratory can use an API provided by their LIMS vendor, such as QLIMS, to automatically submit sample information from external sources into the LIMS system.

What is a REST API? 

A REST (Representational State Transfer) API is a type of API that relies on HTTP requests to access and manipulate data. It operates on the principles of a client-server architecture and uses standard HTTP methods. 

In the context of LIMS, a REST API can provide several benefits to laboratories:

• Integration with other systems – REST APIs enables seamless integration between the LIMS system and other software systems, such as electronic health records (EHRs), laboratory instruments, or customer portals. 
• Configuration and automation – It can provide developers with the ability to customize the LIMS software to meet their specific needs. 
• Independence – The REST protocol separates the data storage and the UI from the server. This means that developers can work on different areas of a project independently.
• Data analysis and visualization – REST APIs can be used to extract data from the LIMS system for analysis and visualization purposes.
• Scalable & flexible – REST APIs can be scaled quickly due to the separation between the client and the server. Additionally, developers can also easily integrate REST APIs without much-added work.

The QLIMS API

QLIMS has a comprehensive REST API encompassing the entire application which is well documented, with technical support available from the OnQ support team and our regional certified partners. If your integration isn’t part of our catalogue then it can be easily created and the solution extended to your unique needs.

QLIMS API helps laboratories with a standardized and efficient way to integrate, customize, and automate. By leveraging REST APIs, laboratories can improve their efficiency, accuracy, and overall performance, ultimately delivering better services to their customers. 

To learn more about how QLIMS can benefit your company contact us, or request a demo now!

Welcome to the second part of our series on QLIMS Business Intelligence. In our previous article, we focused on Dashboards, Visualisations, and the powerful Kibana. In this second part of our QLIMS series, we will delve into the platform’s SaaS solution, maintenance, and development.

Accessing laboratory data has been a challenge due to outdated LIMS systems. But modern tools like Business Intelligence (BI) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have made data science more accessible. QLIMS serves as a comprehensive tool to manage all laboratory data, and in this article, we’ll explore how its Business Intelligence capabilities help organizations convert data into knowledge.

QLIMS SaaS

The QLIMS SaaS solution seamlessly brings together the dozens of services offered by Amazon Web Services in their world-class data centres to offer a coherent LIMS solution to you. 

Get the low latency of CloudFront CDN, the security of Cognito User Pools, and the scaling of ECS Fargate powering up your lab. Then let OnQ Software take care of implementing and administering them. 

Some of the AWS technologies used by QLIMS include:

• AWS CloudFront – accelerated content distribution from more than 200 global edge locations.

• AWS ECS Fargate – scalable computing that requires more resources during times of heavy usage.

• AWS RDS for Microsoft SQL Server.
• AWS Elasticsearch Service – dedicated search engine for rapid navigation)

Development 

QLIMS is continuously developed by a team of full-time software engineers who follow the Agile methodology. Development tasks are prioritized based on user needs, with high-value features given top priority. Work is done in two-week sprints, which allows for greater responsiveness to changing customer needs. All new code undergoes rigorous manual and automated testing before deployment to ensure functionality and regression testing are thoroughly conducted.

Maintenance and Updates

QLIMS SaaS solution eliminates the need for customers or their IT teams to worry about maintenance tasks and software updates. Continuous updates are applied in a rolling manner, typically without any downtime. If planned downtime is necessary, it is scheduled outside of business hours. For enterprise customers, the system is separated at the infrastructure level, giving them complete control over planned upgrades and maintenance.

For more information you can access our QLIMS Business Intelligence brochure and contact our friendly team.

Data has become an invaluable asset for organisations, including laboratory data.  However, accessing laboratory data has been a challenge so far because many LIMS applications rely on outdated technologies and systems. But with the advent of modern data analysis tools like Business Intelligence (BI) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), the field of data science has become more accessible. The primary function of QLIMS is to serve as a comprehensive tool to manage all laboratory data, serving as the single source of truth. In this blog article, we will explore QLIMS Business Intelligence which helps organisations to visualise the data and convert it into knowledge. This is the first part of our series on QLIMS BI. Stay tuned for the second part.

Dashboards and Visualisations 

QLIMS offers Business Intelligence dashboards and visualisations that are powered by Kibana, an open-source data visualisation and exploration platform. Kibana is capable of analysing and presenting data in various forms such as charts, graphs, maps, and tables. It will take your laboratory data to the next level in line with our core philosophy of empowering scientists.

No need to include your IT department for extracting data in an understandable format, these in-built tools help you to become the owner of your knowledge.

Also, dashboards can be used to analyse live data and give direct insights into laboratory operations. Enterprise customers can set up their own dashboards and visualisations. A short training will empower you to become more data-driven. 

For more information you can access our QLIMS Business Intelligence brochure and contact our friendly team.

      The food and beverage industry is a highly regulated industry that requires strict quality control measures to ensure the safety and quality of products. This is where Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) come into play. LIMS is a software-based solution that helps food and beverage companies manage their laboratory data, automate their workflows, and ensure compliance with industry regulations. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of LIMS in the food and beverage industry and how it can help companies streamline their operations and improve their overall product quality.


     LIMS can help food and beverage companies comply with ISO 17025, FSMA, HACCP, and ISO 22000 by managing their laboratory data and automating their workflows. LIMS also supports GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) and multiple disciplines such as microbiology and chemistry in the food and beverage process. Sample planning and scheduling of environmental swabs as well as integration of instruments ensures large sample volumes are kept under control.

       If you’re interested in learning about how QLIMS is implemented in the food industry, we invite you to read our case study.

       Implementing a LIMS system in the food and beverage industry can bring significant benefits beyond improving compliance and product quality. These benefits include:

• Increasing laboratory efficiency
• Improving data accuracy
• Streamlining laboratory processes
• Monitoring and controlling the safety and quality of raw materials
• Capturing traceability information such as test results, equipment records, and analyst certifications
• Managing and tracking samples
• Integrating with laboratory instruments
• Tracking and managing test results
• Providing fully auditable track records of laboratory resources involved in specific analyses, including scientists, instruments, standards, and SOPs
• Enabling chain-of-custody support for laboratory materials from sample receipt to final disposition.

     By taking advantage of these capabilities, food and beverage companies can better manage their laboratory operations, ensure compliance with industry regulations, and maintain the highest standards of product quality and safety.

     To learn more about how QLIMS can benefit your company contact us, or request a demo now! 

In this blog article, we will explore how QLIMS helped the laboratory in the food industry and overcame the challenges. Baiada is the force behind familiar names like Lilydale Free Range Chicken and Steggles. Baiada has been around for more than a century, and its dedication to providing reliable poultry products has remained constant throughout the years.

In order to deliver safe and consistent products, the company has stringent flock monitoring standards that rely on accurate serological and bacterial analysis on cooked and raw products, along with feed testing. With over 250,000 samples tested every year, speed, accuracy, and traceability are key for Baiada’s state-of-the-art quality assurance lab.

The challenge

Managing increased record keeping, especially when it involves large volumes of data, can be a daunting task for laboratories. As testing requirements become more complex, laboratories need to find new ways to handle the growing amount of data generated from testing activities. This can include everything from ensuring data accuracy to maintaining data privacy and security.

Baiada’s lab had traditionally managed its testing records using a Microsoft Access database developed internally. While this was sufficient for basic record keeping, the type and volume of flock monitoring analysis the team needed to conduct was becoming more complex and more resource intensive.

The solution

After looking at the various solutions on offer the team quickly determined that the QLIMS solution would be able to provide what Baiada needed in terms of custom build but for a reasonable price.

Rather than trying to integrate QLIMS into their existing database, the decision was made to start fresh with a brand-new system in order to give the team a solution that would be able to scale.

The process

Expecting a long and involved implementation process, the team was pleased with how rapidly they were able to get up and running.

“The move to QLIMS was pretty quick. We had 2 weeks to play around with it, then we went live – that was it. We felt very confident in the system, and the team we had to support us. They are honestly good people, and they also know their stuff.”

The results

The biggest benefit, according to Anne-Marie Curle, Food Technologist and QS management at Baiada,

“Definitely saving time! In the old world, we received hundreds of handwritten QA testing submissions every week, which needed to be manually entered into our database. Now our processing plants are able to book their submissions directly into the QLIMS system. That’s freed up a staff member to be more hands-on on the bench, rather than tied up with paperwork.”

“We process anywhere from 500 samples a week – QLIMS has effectively freed up one and a half full-time staff members who we can now reallocate to more important jobs around the lab.”

To learn more about data migration, click here. To learn how QLIMS can benefit your laboratory, contact us.

Advanced stability management plays a crucial role in LIMS by ensuring product quality and safety. Companies in industries such as food and beverage and pharmaceuticals must conduct thorough stability studies to determine the shelf life and optimal storage conditions of their products. However, managing these studies can be a complex and time-consuming process, requiring a high level of organization and attention to detail.

Fortunately, the latest update to QLIMS’ Stability Manager offers a powerful solution that helps customers stay ahead of future needs. With enhanced stability management features, modern LIMS platforms provide laboratories with the ability to manage stability testing and storage with greater efficiency, accuracy, and control. In this blog post, we will explore how QLIMS provides advanced stability management.

A completely new Stability Dashboard keeps track of all activities and gives the users and lab management an inside view of the active studies, all on one screen.

QLIMS’ latest update to its Stability Manager keeps our customers ahead of future needs.

• Different protocols can be set up to be used within stability schedules.
• Once approved, samples are scheduled to be pulled.
• Resource planning can be made as QLIMS automatically sets up calendar events for the scheduled workload.
• Once the scheduled date arrives the samples become active for result entry.

If you’re interested in learning more about how LIMS can benefit your laboratory or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our team of experts would be happy to assist you in finding the best solution for your laboratory needs.

The pharmaceutical industry faces unique challenges as it is complex and challenging. Companies need to maintain a large amount of data on their products, including manufacturing, distribution information, and test results, while also ensuring the security of this information. Successful drug manufacturing in today’s competitive market requires navigating rigorous regulatory scrutiny, managing increased financial pressures, and executing complex testing methods. At this juncture, QLIMS comes to the forefront with its range of solutions. In this blog post, we will explore the advantages and applications of LIMS in the pharmaceutical industry.

LIMS provides numerous benefits to the pharmaceutical industry. QLIMS offers efficient data management, accurate sample tracking, and comprehensive data analysis. In addition, QLIMS can help pharmaceutical companies comply with various regulations, including;

• Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP),
• Good Laboratory Practice (GLP),
• FDA 21 CFR Part 11,
• ISO 17025, and
• Data Privacy Regulations.

With secure data management, audit trails, electronic signatures, and automated workflows, QLIMS ensures that pharmaceutical companies can meet regulatory requirements and confidently operate.

Integrating a LIMS with an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system can provide benefits to pharmaceutical companies. With an integrated system, data can be easily shared and accessed across different departments, leading to improved collaboration and efficiency. It can also help to reduce errors in data entry, save time and resources. Additionally, an integrated LIMS and ERP system can provide comprehensive insights into the entire production process, allowing for better decision-making and quality control.

Also by using an API (Application Programming Interface), companies can easily extract and analyse data from their LIMS system, leading to better insights into their operations and more informed decision-making. The ability to easily access and analyse data can also help companies to identify areas for improvement in their quality control processes, leading to higher efficiency and better product quality.

When it comes to selecting a LIMS system, companies have a few options to choose from, including

• building a system from scratch,
• customizing a pre-existing generic system, or
• purchasing a Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solution.

The choice of LIMS system will depend on a company’s individual needs and priorities.

QLIMS helps to streamline and optimize laboratory processes, leading to benefits such as improved efficiency and quality control. It can support the manufacturing and quality control processes surrounding the management of raw materials, finished products, and formulations. With real-time KPI business intelligence dashboards, laboratory and QA managers can stay on top of the operation and make data-driven decisions to continually improve processes and achieve regulatory compliance.
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If you’re interested in learning more about how our QLIMS can benefit your laboratory or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.