Ernesto,
Our DNA Sequencing Facility has grown very rapidly over the last several
years. The most difficult adjustment for us has been dealing with the
enormous amount of paper and time involved in managing the data and
customer billing. I asked the head of our Biotechnology Computing facility
if he and his crew could create an ordering, data input, data
distribution, and billing system that eliminates as much time and paper as
possible. They produced a system that has worked beautifully for us.
Since I'm a computer dummy, the following is an illustration of our
system's features as described by it's "architect":
"The purpose of this system is to stream-line the flow of data/information,
eliminate repeated data entry, and reduce the time required to manage and
distribute data generated by DNA sequencing machines in a shared
environment.
This system handles the data management and business accounting activities
associated with DNA sequencing. The system is highly scaleable and has
been tested for simulated load of 10 - 64 lane machines running 3 shifts a
day with no degradation in performance. Currently, it handles 2 ABI 377
DNA sequencers with 64 lanes each.
This system consists of a relational database as the back end and html
pages as the front end. The development of scripts/programs to build the
system was written using PERL, JAVA. Companion programs for viewing and
analyzing large batch of electropherograms (more than 64) have been
implemented. With error checks built into the online ordering form, the
users are warned of possible issues and are given the ability to
correct/modify their data.
The system prepares the data in a format that is ready to be loaded on the
ABI sequencing machines. Once the machines are done processing the data,
the operator transfers the data on to the server. Once the data is loaded
on the server, a series of programs process the information for
accounting/billing and informs the users of the availability of the data on
the web via email. Users can view the data available via the web page
using various programs available for their individual platforms and can
print the electropherograms locally, if needed.
Issues for security, privacy, authentication have been addressed and the
system is flexible enough to audit/modify them as the need arises. This
system has virtually eliminated the paper work associated with managing an
automated DNA sequencing machine in a shared environment.
System Benefits:
1. Minimized data entry errors.
2. Built in error checking routines to flag template concentration errors.
3. Ability to modify requests on line before they're processed.
4. Ability to track the progress with accurate turn around time
predicitions for
samples.
5. Instant data access, once reactions have been processed. It will take less
than 10 minutes to put data online and notify users via email.
6. Users can retrieve data for the last six months (electropherograms and seq.)
7. Users can check their account summary/charges for the last six months."
If you, or any of our colleagues at University core sequencing facilities
would find this system helpful, please contact me at (520) 621-9184.
Best regards,
Skip Vaught, Manager
DNA Sequencing Facility
University of Arizona