laboratory informatics
Automation in SNP genotyping allows BioDiagnostics to generate lots of data in a short time. The company has developed web-based solutions to deliver large quantities of data to customers in a way that facilitates their access and understanding
THE ABILITY TO
APPLY ANALYTICAL TECHNOLOGIES IN THE FIELD HAS FILTERED DOWN TO THE FARMERS THEMSELVES
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directly impact on livestock yield. Our battery-powered microPhazir analyser, for example, allows farmers to inspect a wide range of animal feeds and ingredients as they arrive, and analyse the constituents for levels for protein, ash, water, etc. Te on- the-spot results from spectroscopic analysis may inform feeding strategies or result in a delivery of feed being rejected.’ Joyce’s particular area of expertise is
in pesticide analysis, a tightly regulated segment of the agricultural sector that is designed to protect the consumer from high levels of potentially harmful chemicals. ‘Mass spectrometry is applied to assess the levels of multiple pesticide residues and ensure that legally defined limits are not exceeded.
10 SCIENTIFIC COMPUTING WORLD
Such testing, which is oſten carried out by contract laboratories, encompasses a two stage-process that involves an initial mass spectroscopic screening to check for levels of a number of pesticides in potentially hundreds of thousands of samples sent to the laboratory. Individual samples that generate abnormal readings are then automatically flagged and taken through additional testing using much higher-resolution mass spectroscopic analysis.’
Instructing pesticide analysis Termo Fisher provides both the analytical instrumentation and the soſtware to manage this process. ‘Our LIMS system drives the overall testing workflow, flags anomalous results, and directs the initiation of further testing. Dedicated soſtware instructs the testing system about the pesticides to search for, and what the reference levels are for each pesticide. We also offer a laboratory execution manager (LEM) that sits within the LIMS to take laboratory personnel through the testing process step by step. Te data management solution (DMS) ensures
that every piece of information and data point is trackable, and can be retrieved for interrogation or review at a later date.’ Joyce believes that what sets Termo
Fisher’s informatics solution apart is the ability to convert data coming out of disparate instrumentation into a human- friendly XML format. ‘It may be necessary to re-evaluate mass spec data from individual samples many years down the line, but this can be nigh-on impossible if the soſtware that was originally used to derive the mass spectrometry data becomes obsolete,’ he states. ‘Our DMS can convert experimental
data from a wide range of instrumentation from multiple vendors into the same XML format. Tis means you can overlay and compare mass spectrometry and chromatography data directly, and, if required revisit historical data to look for the presence of compounds that may not have been the focus of the original test run. You can’t do that direct comparison with soſtware-locked graphical data or PDFs, for example.’
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