A relational database for management of flow cytometry and ELISpot clinical trial data

Abstract

Although relational databases are widely used in bioinformatics with deposited and finalized data, they have not received widespread usage among immunologists for managing raw laboratory data such as that generated by ELISpot or flow cytometry assays. Almost no published guidance exists for immunologists to design appropriate and useful data management systems. We describe the design and implementation of a Microsoft Access relational database used in a clinical trial in which the primary immunogenicity measures were ELISpot and intracellular cytokine staining. Our data management system enabled us to perform sophisticated queries and to interpret our data as quantitatively as possible. It could easily be used without modification by other researchers using automated plate reading of ELISpot plates or four color flow cytometry. We illustrate in detail the use of a flexible data management system for two of the most widely used immunological techniques. Minor modifications for more colors or other outputs can easily be implemented. Based on this example, other modifications could be easily envisaged for any other quantitative output.