Laboratory Automation & Information Management

Laboratory Automation and Information Management aims to provide a vehicle for the publication of original research papers, short communications and tutorials on all aspects of these subjects. As such, it covers all of aspects of laboratory automation, information technology, storage, processing and data flows within a laboratory information environment within organisations.

The journal deals with the following topics (this list is not exclusive):
• Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS): systems architecture, database design, novel aspects of interfacing, methods of data acquisition and integration with other computer applications and instruments.
• Means of integrating and merging laboratory information: final document preparation using chemical structures, spectra, results and text; corporate communication and use of laboratory information.
• Networks: to link and integrate applications, novel technology for dissemination, storage and retrieval of information.
• Standards: the emergence and development of standards for the capture, transmission and storage of laboratory data and information.
• Electronic Laboratory Notebooks.
• Human aspects of laboratory automation.
• Regulatory aspects: development and implementation of governmental guidelines and regulations, and their effect on information management.
• Robotics and laboratory automation: the application of robotics or dedicated automation systems is of interest where these systems are either stand alone applications or form an integrated solution for information management. The application of intelligent systems such as self optimising instruments or applications of expert systems or knowledge systems.

The journal aims to cover any computer application and systems whether they have been designed in-house or are available commercially.

The journal is directed to all scientists working in this highly disciplinary field: chemists, pharmaceutical scientists, computer scientists and engineers working in academic, clinical, industrial, and government laboratories.

The journal publishes original research papers, tutorial articles (by invitation or by submission of an outline), critical reviews, short communications, case studies and software descriptions. A Monitor section provides news on meetings, book and software reviews, new commercial equipment and software relevant to the fields covered by the journal and a calendar of forthcoming events. Within the Monitor section there is the LIM interface. This allows less structured articles to be presented for open debate.