"The CCLims has made a big difference in how we keep and access our cell culture records. I recommend it to any academic research laboratory."

Emmanuel Akporiaye
Chairman, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arizona

Overview

The CCLims uses a modular approach. Each module tracks specific types of information. This information, in turn, can reference data stored in other modules. Every module's data can be printed to create detailed reports.

Below is a brief description of the CCLims modules.

Transactions Module

The largest of the CCLims modules. The Transactions Module tracks three basic pieces of information:

• Which cells are growing in incubators in the present. (The “Growing” list.)
• Which cells will be growing in incubators in the future. (The “Future” list.)
• Which cells were grown in incubators in the past. (The “History” list.)

The Transactions Module displays these as lists to the user. Each transaction can be expanded to a Detail View whereby users enter the name of the cell line, medium, customer, passage count, date, procedures, and other pertinent information. These data can be printed to labels with one click.

Frozen Storage Module

Maintains information about every position location for frozen cells within a laboratory’s frozen storage equipment. The Frozen Storage Module can be configured to track details of any type of storage unit including whether they are freezers or dewars or contain boxes, racks, canisters, canes, rows or columns. Each storage unit, and its size, is completely configurable. The Frozen Storage Module can also find all spaces with one click and print alphabetical or numerical reports of storage positions. The Frozen Storage Module interfaces seamlessly with the Transactions Module and remembers all of the data associated with a cell line for initiating a thaw.

Procedures Module

The most powerful part of the CCLims. Each procedure is made up of steps. These steps can store simple data, calculate cell counts, reference inventory items, perform arbitrary mathematical functions and reference other procedures.

A typical laboratory has notebooks of procedures including (1) Master Template procedures and (2) Executed procedures that are copied, assigned a unique number and dated. The CCLims works the exact same way: Users can create Master Catalog Procedures at any time. Catalog Procedures can then be executed to create Performed Procedures that reside within the CCLims' History.

Contacts Module

Keeps track of customers, CCLims users and vendors. Any contact can be referenced from transactions and other locations within the CCLims.

Change a contact once and every record that references it will automatically adjust to the new contact.

Cell Lines Module

Stores information about all of the Cell Lines used by a laboratory. This information includes links to the vendor or researcher that supplied the cell line and the procedures used to culture it. Cell Lines are referenced from Transactions.

Media Module

Tracks the media used by Transactions, and stores the procedures to make the media and links to the vendor contacts that supply the media.

Vessels Module

Stores information about each type of a vessel that a laboratory uses for culturing. For example, T75s are popular, as are 60mm dishes.

Inventory Module

Stores information about a laboratory's inventory. Inventory items can be linked to procedures, and as those procedures are executed, the quantity of available inventory is logged. The Inventory Module’s data is very detailed and can store information about specific lot numbers for each entered item.