90. A Simulation Extension of a Workflow-Based LIMS 

Peter Cartwright 
Cimarron Software, Salt Lake City, Utah 
pc@cimsoft.com 

The Human Genome Project is a complex scientific enterprise of national significance whose success will be greatly accelerated by effective project management and planning tools. This SBIR project is delivering such a tool by integrating simulation (computer modeling) software with laboratory information management databases. Central to the HGP are high throughput molecular biology laboratories which critically depend on cost effective management of complex experimental and production workflows. This project is developing software to simulate laboratory workflows under real and what if scenarios. This software is unique in that it derives its workflow model and configuration parameters from the real laboratory workflow, as stored in its operational laboratory information management system. 

Phase I of this project was devoted to feasibility evaluation, design finalization, and technology assessment for an integrated laboratory information management / simulation facility. The findings and results confirmed that the integration was feasible, powerful, and conceptually elegant. Customers of Cimarron Software have helped shape and evaluate a prototype system, and confirmed the marketability of a fully engineered product. 

Phase II of this project is building a fully engineered product for specifying, launching, monitoring, saving and comparing simulation runs. The interactive system is being packaged as a Java applet, and hence web enabled. This simulation facility is a natural and commercially valuable extension of Cimarron's core technology. Essentially all of Cimarron's current customers have indicated they would purchase such an extension if it were well integrated into their systems. Longer term, it is expected that this simulation / database combination will have similar benefits to the broader workflow management market.