Software helps labs manage data
TargetWatch SDMS software, an Internet-based data management system
for coordinating and securing global research work, reports
Ahmed ElAmin.
Amartus latest release of the software, version 1.4, adds key features to automate review approval and the distribution of key scientific documents such asstandard operating procedures and lab protocols. The entire workflow is carried out on-line and users are alerted to their obligations through a personal task-list and e-mail alerts through thesoftware.
TargetWatch is designed for research teams working on multiple projects, whether they are working at a multinational food company or within a pure research laboratory. The software can capture, track and share diverse research data in a secure centralised datawarehouse, Amartus said in a press release.
It is designed to protect intellectual property through a secure online connection. All activity within TargetWatch is tracked in a secure audit trail. The audit trail captures the time, date, responsible person and a full description of each operation. It can be viewed at the system, user, project and document level providing completetraceability.
" Scientists work with complex data sets in multiple formats generated from multiple heterogeneous systems," the software firm said. " Combining and analysing this data to extract meaningful relationships is a difficult task. Information technology is helping scientists to translate large volumes of data into useful knowledge to cure disease."
Changes in life science research brought about by significant advances in the techniques and tools available to scientists has meant labs have had to make dramatic changes in the way they managedata, Amartus said. As the number of tools to generate scientific data increases so too does the diversity of data formats being generated.
The changes in work practices and the more diverse subject matter makes it more important than ever for scientists to be able to bring data together in a meaningful way, Amartus said. TargetWatch helps researchers achieve this by providing a secure centralised location where research teams can capture and exchange data whether they are in the same building orlocated anywhere else in the world.
The software can handle any number of discreet projects where research teams can share data. TargetWatch is built on an open and scalable architecture and can be tailored to meet the needs of eachproject.
The software's features include tools to create secure hierarchical project structures, to manage all file types produced during research work, to automate document management, to create electronic signatures for legaland regulator compliance and to allow the integrated access and tracking for key biomedical databases.
TargetWatch can be accessed via a standard desktop Internet browser. The software has security and tractability support to protect data.
"Organisations who adopt TargetWatch remove the risk of loosing data and free valuable research time to concentrate on core activities," Amartus said.
