The Power and Importance of Sample Lineage in LIMS
As part of our series, “Favorite LIMS Feature”, we are endeavoring to answer the age-old question “What is a LIMS?” by showcasing our customer’s favorite Lockbox LIMS features. Today’s feature is Sample Lineage.
To begin, let’s define what Sample Lineage means in the world of LIMS.
What is Sample Lineage? [Laboratory Sample Management]
Sample lineage is a feature within Lockbox LIMS that allows you to link your samples to “parent” samples and “child” samples. The most typical manifestation of this is when the parent sample is the “Submitted” sample, or the original sample sent in from a customer. The child sample is typically a “Derived” sample.
Submitted Sample >> Derived Sample
However, the submitted sample may also have “Aliquots” that are associated with it, which can be represented as child samples as well.
How to Manage Samples’ Hierarchy in Lockbox
The interesting aspect of sample lineage is that you can have multiple layers of lineage. For example, your derived sample child might itself be a parent of an aliquot, which can then further be derived.
Submitted Sample >> Derived Sample #1 >> Aliquot >> Derived Sample #2
Sample lineage doesn’t stop with the sample record. In many NGS (Next Generation Sequencing) protocols, a DNA library record is created from the extracted DNA. In that case, you can link your DNA Library record up to the extracted DNA-derived sample record. Therefore, your library becomes the grandchild of your original submitted sample:
Submitted Sample >> Extracted DNA (Derived Sample) >> DNA Library
Additionally, your DNA Library record may have its own child library records to distinguish between the pre and post-capture steps:
Submitted Sample >> Extracted DNA (Derived Sample) >> DNA Library >> Pre-capture Library >> Post-capture Library
Using a laboratory information management system such as Lockbox LIMS, you are able to keep track of this entire chain of sample and library lineage, allowing you to have complete traceability from your DNA Sequencing Pool, all the way back up through your various libraries, DNA Extraction samples, and finally to your customer’s original submitted sample record.
Want to learn more about our secure LIMS? Check out its capabilities or try a Lockbox LIMS demo to explore its features yourself.