A Simulation Extension of a Workflow-Based LIMS

12 A Simulation Extension of a Workflow-Based LIMS--Cimarron Software, Inc., 2749 East Parleys Way, Suite 310, Salt Lake City, UT 84109-1660; (801) 468-0717 Mr. Peter Cartwright, Principal Investigator Mr. Andrew R. Marks, Business Official DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82351 Amount: $74,224 Increased use is being made of DNA sequencing in biotechnology, genetic toxicology, medical research and environmental applications. High throughput molecular biological enterprises critically depend on the cost-effective management of complex laboratory workflow. Existing laboratory information management systems (LIMSs) record the physical object status and workflow progress, but were not designed to model and plan the specification, design and performance of the workflow itself. Thus existing LIMSs focus on current and historical laboratory data, and do not represent the means by which that data was collected, nor alternative strategies for future data collection and analysis. This project will enhance a commercial LIMS to model laboratory processes, workflow configuration and capital resources, both actual and hypothetical. This will enable queries to be posed which monitor, analyze, and aid productivity optimization. Future workflow progress will be estimated by a simulator driven by current LIMS database contents, historical observation (e.g., of resource failure rates), and resource deployment plans. The simulator will be integrated with a sophisticated LIMS being developed for sequencing, genotyping, and genetic diagnostics. New capabilities will include statistical reduction of past laboratory performance to tune independent variables for simulation input; background projection of production yields at specified time horizons, with advance alarms of inadequate progress; and analysis of future resource allocation plans by applying ¿what-if¿ scenarios to live production data. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: It is anticipated that the simulator would initially be targeted at biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies that are involved in genotyping and genetic analysis. The simulator package would also be marketed to any group that is involved in clinical genetics and human molecular genetics.