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LIMS Deployment in an Assay Service Environment: Improving Efficiency and Effectiveness through Information Management

In 2006 AstraZeneca AZ executed a strategy to centralise all biochemical screening activities within one of its Research Areas, into a single team. This team had the remit to deliver data faster and more consistently, whilst reducing the FTE's deployed against such activities. Keeping the team small, AZ hoped to facilitate more flexible use of resources, remaining agile enough to respond to changing business demands; however this centralised approach brought with it a fresh set of challenges, not least of which was information management. This review describes a successful LIMS implementation within AZ who deployed a customised COTS solution in just four months. It outlines the steps taken over the initial system development life cycle and highlights the requirement for dedicated in-house resource with intimate domain knowledge coupled with experienced vendor personnel. It goes on to explore the requirement for continued evolution of the system and the challenges this posed.