In our previous post, we delved into the significance of an integrated inventory system and its potential benefits for biotech companies. Today, let’s take a step further and demystify the term “integrated inventory.” We will uncover what this system entails, how it differs from point solutions or conventional Excel-based methods, and why it is a game-changer in managing your inventory.
During the heyday of the genomics revolution, we had the good fortune to be part of Human Genome Sciences’ gene discovery department. Our challenge was to analyze human samples from all parts of the anatomy, stages of development, and states of disease to find genes being differentially expressed. When an interesting gene was discovered, we needed to find the specific sample in the freezer from which that sequence fragment was derived. Once acquired, our team would begin elucidating the entire gene sequence using a “primer walk” technique. Our success rate, an astonishingly high 98%, hinged on finding the right sample. From this, we learned firsthand the importance of establishing a reliable materials inventory on which to anchor scientific operations.
Businesses create value by transforming raw materials into finished goods and selling them for a profit. There is an internal “supply-chain” that unfolds horizontally across most businesses with handoffs occurring between functions. For instance, one can envision a series of handoffs from purchasing, to receiving, to engineering, to manufacturing, to packaging, and finally to shipping.
Over dozens of informatics projects and several decades, we have found that these “functional handoffs” are a source of considerable friction within many businesses.
Are you considering a new IT system for process development, analytical testing, manufacturing, or clinical sample management? Consider the ways that BioIT can help you during the later stages of system integration. Move forward confidently and efficiently with our selection of services for this critical time.
Life Science companies who use computer systems to support regulated activities are compelled to perform computer system validation (CSV). CSV is valuable because it insists that you evaluate system performance against requirements and ensure regulatory fitness. But CSV is not an easy process. You must list requirements, perform risk assessments, and generate and execute test scripts to demonstrate compliance.
By Bob Beliveau. If you are in the Life Sciences industry, your data is your product. And your ability to find, share, and make decisions based on data is the key to your productivity. But we continue to see telltale signs that scientific data is being mismanaged. Here are a few things we look for […]
By Bob Beliveau. In a former position, I used to lead an IT group. One of my duties was to meet with “the business” and discuss potential IT projects. A key message during these discussions was the need to devote resources to the project if it was going to be successful. We’d ask the business […]
By Bob Beliveau. Decades ago, when I entered the industry, I joined a department called Data Systems. Many of my wet-behind-the-ears colleagues worked at other companies in their Management Information Systems (MIS) departments. We learned how to make the big iron mainframes crunch numbers and deliver reports to the line units. Sometime later, (the 1990s […]