A pocket guide to electronic laboratory notebooks in the academic life sciences.

Ulrich Dirnagl,Ingo Przesdzing

doi:10.12688/f1000research.7628.1

Abstract

Every professional doing active research in the life sciences is required to keep a laboratory notebook. However, while science has changed dramatically over the last centuries, laboratory notebooks have remained essentially unchanged since pre-modern science. We argue that the implementation of electronic laboratory notebooks (eLN) in academic research is overdue, and we provide researchers and their institutions with the background and practical knowledge to select and initiate the implementation of an eLN in their laboratories. In addition, we present data from surveying biomedical researchers and technicians regarding which hypothetical features and functionalities they hope to see implemented in an eLN, and which ones they regard as less important. We also present data on acceptance and satisfaction of those who have recently switched from paper laboratory notebook to an eLN. We thus provide answers to the following questions: What does an electronic laboratory notebook afford a biomedical researcher, what does it require, and how should one go about implementing it?

Highlights

The authors department pursued ISO 9001-certified laboratory quality management system
In this article we argue that the implementation of electronic laboratory notebooks in academic research is overdue, and we provide researchers and their institutions with the background and practical knowledge to select and initiate the establishment of an eLN in their laboratories
How biomedical scientists take notes and document their work has not changed much over the last 200 years: They write with a pen in a bound, paginated laboratory notebook

Summary

Conclusion and recommendations

How biomedical scientists take notes and document their work has not changed much over the last 200 years: They write with a pen in a bound, paginated laboratory notebook. Over the last few years, the situation has slowly but substantially changed, and mature and affordable (or even free) eLNs are available Scientists who overcome their reservation and exchange their LN for an eLN regularly become avid supporters after a short learning period, praising functionalities like group collaboration, use of templates, embedding of data, scheduling, access to the eLN from any computer world-wide, etc. Besides serving all the obvious functions of a paper LN, eLNs facilitate scientists’ workflow (quick creation and editing of experiments) and collaboration (sharing and reusing information, independent of location, harmonization of work practices). They allow the integration of data, images, files, etc. Grant information Supported by the German Research Foundation (Exc 257), the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (01 EO 08 01), the

Kanare HM

Introduction

Findings

“Conclusions and recommendations”