Project Details

1) Generate labels and next step in experiment process for over taxed lab workers.

2) Error Checks throughout experiment and well plate interaction process.

3) Generate a custom well plate interaction table based off of data given from user.

4) Record notes and save them so they can be viewed by others working on the same experiment.

5) Place users into groups so that they can view current protocols and experiments within those groups.

OVERVIEW:

Traditionally in the laboratory setting, tests are individually processed and tested. This however, is not the most efficient method for pathogens with low positivity rates. For pathogens that have a lower expected positivity rate, such as COVID-19, it is more effective to break these samples into pools and test them together through grouped testing. Grouped testing is the theory of grouping samples together and testing them all at once. If no samples in the group are positive n – 1 sample tests are saved, n being the size of the group. This is because we only needed one test to confirm the entire group is negative. However, if the group is positive it is broken down into smaller groups that will be tested again, until eventually the final positive sample is identified. This strategy helps to reduce the amount of resources used, time spent in the lab by the lab worker, and the amount of money that must be spent on testing, bringing down the overall cost of testing. However, grouped testing is not with it’s downsides, which we believe we have solved through our application. Grouped testing makes lives difficult for laboratory workers to visualize exactly what they are working on because everything must be kept track of manually via a physical lab note book. It can be difficult and tedious for a lab worker to transfer all of the notes they have taken from the lab note book to a computer system, creating mistakes throughout the process. Finally, the grouped testing process may span multiple days and have many different lab workers conducting throughout the process. Through discussion with our clients we have proposed an all inclusive application that will help to solve all of the issues presented when grouped testing. Users will be able to login, have multiple different lab groups, in which they can add other users of the application to. They also will be able to view protocols that are specific to that lab group, meaning that everything is grouped together appropriately. Also each protocol has an associated experiment list, these experiments will be the main piece the user spends time interacting with. Selection of an experiment will take the user to a main well plate page, that updates according to their interactions with the live well-plate. Within this well-plate interaction users are able to add notes throughout the experiment and save their progress to resume later. These experiments can be picked up by other lab users throughout the process, meaning that experiments spanning multiple days can easily be completed by various lab technicians.