I-Corps: Translation Potential of the Development of an Academic Lab Management Software

Award ID: 2452095

The broader impact of this I-Corps project is the development of a new laboratory management system that combines essential lab functions into one easy-to-use tool. As labs generate more data and use a variety of tools to store and manage their data, this system simplifies the process. The technology allows lab personnel to keep their data and notes in one place and makes it easier for them to stay organized. Further, this system can automatically accumulate, upload, and back up data, foster collaboration among lab members, and monitor the lab environment in real-time, so lab directors can keep their labs running smoothly and keep on top of progress even when they are busy with other responsibilities. By using game-like features, the system rewards staff for following lab recording guidelines, maintaining lab inventories, and completing lab maintenance tasks, encouraging everyone to enter data completely and accurately. This technology can help labs run more smoothly and produce better research, setting a new standard for lab operations, improving the reproducibility of science, and increasing public confidence in scientific work. This I-Corps project utilizes experiential learning coupled with a first-hand investigation of the industry ecosystem to assess the translation potential of the technology. This solution is based on the development of a system specifically designed to meet a lab's needs by combining data collection, lab monitoring, and team collaboration tools in one connected platform. It links all data points, from experimental results to lab conditions, so that lab staff and managers get a complete view of lab operations. This system is flexible enough to meet the unique needs of each lab and makes it easy to track data over time and across projects. Early testing shows that it can handle large amounts of data efficiently, with automatic updates and feedback, which makes data collection faster and more consistent. This technology promotes clear and reliable lab work, helping labs work together more easily and enabling new scientific discoveries through improved teamwork and data-sharing. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Program Director: Ruth Shuman