Lab is no longer out on a LIM

The Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera), a UK-based government organisation, has implemented the Thermo Scientific Nautilus laboratory information management system (LIMS) for its laboratory in York.

It is used to manage an archive of over 50,000 samples, improving productivity across the laboratory.

An executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Fera provides evidence, analysis and advice to support and develop a sustainable and secure food chain, a healthy natural environment and protect the global community from biological and chemical risks.

It manages over 600 research projects, analysing more than 50,000 plant and food samples a year. Instead of a number of smaller bespoke systems or manual processes, it chose a single LIMS to manage all samples on site within a single repository and harmonise its worksheets across its laboratories. It records its analytical trend data manually, so it needed a LIMS system that could automate this information to support internal investigation and reporting functions.

Paul Burrell, LIMS manager at Fera, says: "We use Nautilus LIMS strategically on projects, eliminating paper reports, working electronically and involving customers by giving them access to their results in real time."