The landscape of scientific research is evolving rapidly, and laboratories are embracing digital solutions to streamline workflows and enhance efficiency. At the forefront of this transformation are electronic lab notebooks (ELNs), powerful tools that replace traditional paper notebooks with dynamic, cloud-based platforms. 

Rob Brown is the global vice president and head of the Scientific Office at Sapio Sciences, where he is responsible for identifying and defining new products and solutions that help customers across biopharma research and development (R&D), clinical diagnostics, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Drug Discovery News spoke with Brown to learn more about ELNs as an innovative solution designed to meet the diverse and demanding needs of modern labs.

ELNs are computer programs designed to replace paper laboratory notebooks. What are the key features of Sapio ELN^TM?

We’ve developed Sapio ELN to meet the specific yet diverse needs of modern laboratories and scientists. As a modern, cloud-based technology, Sapio ELN is more than a digital notebook; it’s a comprehensive science-aware solution, offering flexibility and scientific precision. 

At its heart, the ELN captures the intricate details of experiments – from the initial hypothesis to the final observations and results. However, our ELN is designed to be easily customizable to ensure it meets the scientist’s requirements. The no-code foundation allows scientists to customize the ELN without the requirement to write code or ask for help from their IT teams. 

For the technologist, Sapio ELN offers a fully configurable data model that adapts to various research contexts. An integrated data warehouse centralizes all data and information for easy access, while a robust application programming interface (API) allows the platform to seamlessly connect to other tools and instruments across the lab. 

Finally, Sapio ELN comes with a variety of out-of-the-box configurations and built-in tools, including reaction sketchers, plasmid editors, and CRISPR design modules, as well as collaborative tools like real-time chat and dynamic data tables that foster teamwork and efficiency. 

How does Sapio Sciences assist researchers in transitioning from traditional lab notebooks to an ELN? 

We understand that transitioning from traditional lab notebooks to digital ELNs is a significant commitment for any lab. While the use of traditional paper notebooks is now rare, we do see customers who have relied on Microsoft Excel or Google Docs to capture experiment data, as well as labs that deployed other ELN solutions and are now looking to move to Sapio.

That’s why we’ve designed a structured and collaborative process that ensures customers feel engaged and supported throughout, with clear goals delivered. 

We offer a dedicated implementation team that comprises a project manager, solution architect, business analyst, and application engineers who will work with the customer, and importantly, the users, to understand their specific, unique needs. 

This deployment team then uses Agile methodology, breaking the process into manageable "sprints" that allow for iterative development and regular feedback to finetune the system. Another key component of successful implementation is training. 

We run hands-on workshops and "train the trainer” sessions to ensure all users can access and use the ELN effectively. We also provide customers with access to our knowledge base, which includes comprehensive documentation and tutorial videos that users can access directly in the ELN. 

Lastly, Sapio runs an annual user conference, SapioCon, which provides customers with an opportunity to share their experiences and hear the latest updates and the roadmap of future developments.

How can users customize experiment templates in Sapio’s ELN to fit their specific needs?

An ELN must adapt to the individual scientist’s research and experimentation, not the other way around. For that reason, we are proud of our “no-code” approach that puts the power of customization directly in the hands of researchers. 

Scientists can easily design and create experiment templates that integrate features like dynamic tables, text editors, data visualization tools, and science-specific widgets. Custom data fields, layouts, business logic, and workflows can be easily configured without requiring programming skills. Once created, these templates can be reused and shared. 

We’ve recently introduced Sapio ELaiN, which makes this process even easier. Sapio ELaiN uses natural language prompts (chat) and generative artificial intelligence to allow the scientist to, literally, tell the ELN what they need, and the ELN carries out the instructions automatically.

How does Sapio ELN integrate with other laboratory information management systems (LIMS)?

Sapio ELN is an integral part of a unified lab informatics platform that also includes Sapio LIMS and Sapio Jarvis, our scientific data management system (SDMS).

Simply put, the ELN captures the data and information from research, and the LIMS manages that data alongside data from other instruments and sources, making it available to the researcher when and how they need it. 

Our unified platform approach ensures seamless integration between the ELN, LIMS, and SDMS, enabling data to flow between ELN experiments and LIMS workflows, eliminating manual data entry, and reducing errors. In addition, the unified platform approach means we can develop out-of-the-box applications for specific areas of research, such as biology or chemistry R&D, next-generation sequencing, or in vivo, to name a few. 

That said, we appreciate that labs may have a variety of information systems deployed. To ensure maximum flexibility, we have built Sapio ELN with robust API and webhook capabilities, making it easy to connect with third-party LIMS and ensuring interoperability across a diverse ecosystem of lab solutions.

What security measures are implemented in ELNs to protect sensitive research data?

Data security is at the core of our lab informatics platform. 

Sapio ELN incorporates multiple security measures, including role-based access controls to ensure only authorized users can access specific information, along with comprehensive encryption for data at rest and in transit. We can also ensure every action is logged through detailed audit trails, ensuring transparency and compliance. 

Additional security features such as customizable password policies, single sign-on (SSO), and multi-factor authentication (MFA) provide additional layers of protection. 

From a regulatory perspective, Sapio ELN is compliant with 21 CFR Part 11, EU Annex 11, and HIPPA and holds certifications including ISO 27001, SOC2 (Types 1 and 2), and Hébergeur de Données de Santé (HDS) Certification.

What future developments could make ELNs more adaptable to diverse scientific disciplines?

One of the developments that we are most excited about is the integration of natural language processing (NLP) and generative AI (GenAI) into the ELN, which will transform how researchers interact with these tools. 

These developments will remove the need for complex interfaces, allowing researchers to use voice or text to interact with the ELN. Tasks that once required coding expertise can now be completed with simple commands like “Start a new experiment with Samples A, B, and C” or “Retrieve last year’s Assay X experiments with at least one compound with activity above 80%.” 

Sapio has already integrated NLP and GenAI into our ELaiN solution, and we will soon see these technologies transform ELNs from passive data collectors into active collaborators. 

Science is inherently complex, but the tools scientists use don’t need to be. Our role at Sapio is to help scientists focus their time on discovery and innovation, not software management and coding.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.