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360º PERSPECTIVES | ISSUE 7 | 2020/2021
Baobab LIMS for Biobanking » SANBI develops accessible management technology for African biorepositories. IOREPOSITORIES use laboratory information management systems (LIMS) to track and manage the collection, processing and storage of biological specimens and associated metadata for research. In many low and middle-income (LMIC) countries, particularly in Africa, exorbitant commercial LIMS licensing fees make it difficult for scientists to properly manage large study cohorts or ‘biobanks’ of specimens by employing database technology. This could cause researchers to question the processing and storage procedures as well as the quality or integrity of the biobank’s specimen collection.
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The South African National Bioinformatics Institute (SANBI) at the University of the Western Cape has developed Baobab LIMS, an open-source software resource that research facilities can access to help manage biospecimens. “On the African continent, several users and test sites have employed the software, a number of training and engagement events have taken place and the Baobab LIMS team has customised the software for specific projects,” says Dr Dominique Anderson, a SANBI senior researcher. Baobab LIMS was funded by the EU Horizon 2020 programme through the B3Africa consortium as one of “a suite of tools” developed “to harmonise e-infrastructure for biobanking” in LMIC countries. Prof Alan Christoffels, the Director of SANBI and DST/NRF Research Chair in Bioinformatics
