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LIMS-8 Focuses on LIMS and Corporate Strategies
New LIMS Award
More Vendor Exhibits
About the LIMS Institute
More than 400 people attended the Eighth International LIMS Conference
in Pittsburgh, PA from June 6-9, 1994. Held at the historic Westin William
Penn hotel, the conference highlighted the growing importance of Laboratory
Management Information Systems (LIMS) not just to the laboratory but as
a tool to communicate data internally across departments as well. In fact,
this year's theme addressed LIMS and corporate strategies, including integration
with Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Manufacturing Resources Planning
and Corporate Legacy Systems.
The conference was organized around a series of sessions each day, and featured
a comprehensive technical program that covered the latest LIMS developments.
Conference sessions included: LIMS Panorama at Miles, Inc.; CAALS and Important
Topics; Implementation: the Forgotten Aspect of LIMS; Re-engineering Analytical,
Frontiers in LIMS; LIMS Implementations; GALP, Stability Data Management,
Drug Metabolism; and Strategic LIMS Management. Program speakers from an
international slate of institutions and organizations included laboratory
and information managers intimately involved in LIMS, consultants and vendors.
Individual presentations within the sessions included LIMS case studies,
interoperability issues, project management, and new technologies impacting
LIMS.
According to Jeffrey Miller, Conference Chairman, there were more contributed
papers and vendor booths than ever before. In addition, to accommodate the
demand for diverse subjects, several concurrent sessions were added, as
well as afternoon break-out sessions which allowed attendees the chance
to participate in informal discussions about specific issues and solutions
related to LIMS management.
New LIMS Award
The first LIMS Award for outstanding contribution to the field of LIMS was
presented to Dr. Gerst Gibbon, Group Leader, Process Chemistry, Pittsburgh
Energy Technology Center, U.S. Department of Energy. The LIMS Award was
established by the LIMS Institute to recognize and honor distinguished service
to the LIMS community and will be given annually at the conference. As an
early leader in this field, Gibbon designed one of the earliest systems
in the industrial government area, supervised its development, and has managed
that system successfully ever since. He took the lead in establishing the
first international LIMS Conference in 1987, and served as the first Conference
Chair. He was primarily responsible for the creation of the LIMS Institute
which sponsors the LIMS conference every year and has served as its President
since its inception.
Gibbon's enthusiasm for LIMS continues undiminished. "We're in this
to serve our peer community," he emphasizes. "Most major labs
have a LIMS or are implementing one; most of the smaller labs are investigating
smaller PC-based LIMS. Still, on a global basis, this is just the beginning.
This conference serves as a medium to inform the LIMS community what's happening
in order to get the full benefit of their LIMS."
More Vendor Exhibits
An almost a 50% increase in vendors exhibiting a range of the latest LIMS
products and services made LIMS-8 an ideal one-stop shopping venue for LIMS.
Almost 30 vendors exhibited participated, exhibiting the following products
in alphabetical order by vendor. New products are highlighted.
Advanced Systems Management featured their MULTI LIMS for analytical labs
and CONTROL LIMS for QA/QC labs.
Advanced Technology Laboratories introduced their NEW Sample Master Windows-based
client/server LIMS for small to mid-sized laboratories. The first LIMS created
using Microsoft Access, Sample Master is user-friendly, performs direct
import/export of queries, works in SQL and MS Query, and can be used by
both MIS and the lab with equal ease.
Analytical Automation Specialists, Inc.
demonstrated its PC-based LABWORKS product for DOS or Windows with its zip
reports and zip log-in feature.
The productivity software solutions from Automated Compliance Systems, Inc.
integrate data management, information management and GALP compliance. Several
products, including Pro-LIMS, were demonstrated.
Autoscribe Ltd/Geocore exhibited the latest version of Matrix LIMS, an inexpensive
Windows-based product. Autoscribe Ltd, which merged with Symmetry Software
(UK) in mid-1994, purchased exclusive property rights to the former Harley
Systems (UK) Matrix LIMS product and plans to offer continued support and
development for the product. Geocore is Autoscribe's new US distributor.
LabMaestro is one of the NEW client/server LIMS on the block, having been
introduced by Axiom Systems Group at LIMS-8. An easy-to-use, fully integrated
LIMS, LabMaestro supports leading databases that are ODBC standard, operating
systems and PC-based applications. Flexibility and the ability to customize
features are key attributes, as well as the ability to interface with MRP
systems and PC programs. Acquired in late 1993 by the Chatterjee Group,
Axiom is in a growth mode and actively placing significant resources into
service and support.
Baytek Engineering exhibited their BLISS system designed for the process
control lab.
Beckman Instruments demonstrated LabManager C/S and PeakPro C/S which run
client/server applications with a recently-introduced Windows 3.1 interface
for comprehensive laboratory test, sample and data management.
Blaze Systems has acquired Chesapeake Software's LIMS business from Enviromatix,
Inc. The purchase includes three LIMS products for VAX VMS systems for process
and research laboratories in the chemical, petrochemical and pharmaceutical
industries.
Compex N.V. featured their UNILAB LIMS which is available on the UNIX platform
and supports ORACLE and Ingres RDBMS.
Enviromatix, Inc. professionals were on hand to discuss their professional
services for LIMS solutions.
Fisons Instruments made a splash
with their NEW Sample Manager for Windows, part of the growing family of
integrated VG LIMS products. Designed to operate on a wide range of hardware
and database platforms, the product allows users to choose between VAX,
Alpha, IBM, and HP computers; ORACLE, Ingres, Sybase, and Rdb databases;
and VMS, OSF1, HP UX and IBM AIX operating systems.
Harley Systems/QSI demonstrated WinLIMS, a full-function client/server-based
LIMS which allows any ANSI SQL relational database to be used as the database
engine.
Herstal Automation Ltd. exhibited a line of hardware and software solutions
to unattended backup, archival and hierarchal data storage problems.
A NEW protocol-driven shelf-life study software application was featured
in Hewlett-Packard's booth. A companion
product to ChemLMS, the new package helps pharmaceutical or consumer product
laboratories manage studies that demonstrate the stability of a product
during its shelf-life. It enables users to define a shelf-life study and
maintain a schedule for it as well as organize and report study information.
The study environment can be tailored to fit individual user needs.
Interpec Corporation featured INQAS, a powerful and easy to use application
that provides IBM AS/400 users with a sophisticated quality management system.
LabVantage for Windows, the Windows version of LabVantage LIMS, was demonstrated
throughout the conference in Laboratory MicroSystems' booth. Features include
multi-tasking and graphical WYSIWYG reporting capabilities; support for
multiple databases; and single- and multi-user versions.
Lab Task Corporation featured their Lab Task LIMS solution which incorporates
both the laboratory and administrative requirements of a lab operation to
improve productivity and manage QC.
LimsLink software was on highlighted at Labtronics Inc. The Windows-based
software automates data collection from up to nine instruments simultaneously
without custom programming.
LabWare Ltd introduced LabWare LIMS, a full-featured Windows client/server
LIMS. The application runs on individual PCs and was demonstrated running
the same client with several databases, including Windows Access, SQL Server
for NT, and ORACLE running under UNIX.
SQL*LIMS, a full-featured open systems LIMS, was continuously demonstrated
by PE Nelson throughout the conference. The first commercial ORACLE-based
LIMS, SQL*LIMS delivers a variety of integrated solutions.
Purvis Systems, Inc. was on hand with their latest generation LIMS, including
high resolution graphic displays and video teleconferencing.
Scientek Software, Inc. exhibited their TeamLIMS software for managing analytical
chemistry laboratory information, and STABILITY SYSTEM for managing information
generated in pharmaceutical stability testing programs.
SMARTLAB 2000 demonstrations took place in Telecation's booth. A PC-network
based LIMS, the product utilizes state-of-the-art computer power, relational
database design, and laboratory data handling concepts.
PreLIMS software for routine sample schedules, instrument maintenance, and
methods management was featured by Transition Labs, Inc. A new type of lab
management software, PreLIMS assists labs in organizing and documenting
fundamental resources such as time, personnel and analytical instrument
systems.
Varian Associates announced the NEW StarLIMS for Windows capability. A PC-network
system configured for the environmental, pharmaceutical, chemical and other
industry labs, StarLIMS offers user-definable reports, database, instrument
interfaces, and screens to allows easy adaptability to the the laboratory
environment without programming.
A strategic alliance between Walsh Automation, Inc. and LabSys Ltd was announced
simultaneously with a NEW module for LIMS/400. Walsh Automation, Inc., now
the North American distributor for LabSys Ltd., demonstrated the new module,
an electronic notepad, which links to LIMS/400 as a remote client for downloading
daily work order schedules. LIMS/400 has the potential to create a paperless
lab environment, is password-controlled, and stamps all data electronically
with a user ID.
Wesson, Taylor, Wells and Associates, Inc. were on hand to discuss their
information technology consulting services.
ZMA Scientific/Comlabs exhibited their CCLAS LIMS which was designed for
a variety of analytical and process QC laboratories.
About the LIMS Institute
The LIMS Institute is chartered to establish and maintain an international
forum through the organization and sponsorship of conferences and other
educational programs for the communication and exchange of information,
ideas and experiences on LIMS. Proceeds from the LIMS Conference go toward
enhancing subsequent conferences and to support science and technology education.
This year the LIMS Institute contributed to the Earl J. Cooper Memorial
Scholarship Fund which helps minority students pursue careers in the physical
and computer sciences. Next year's conference, LIMS-9, will be held in Bonn,
Germany from June 7 to 9, 1995. For more information, contact The LIMS Institute,
1416 Severn Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15217.