Graphical Specification System for Life Science Workflow Reproducibility
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The non-reproducibility of research in life sciences is exacerbated by the lack of adequate tools, lack of common standards for information storage, multiple stakeholders with limited cross-domain knowledge, lack of common infrastructure, and communication gaps, leading to inefficiencies and high costs in drug development and biomolecule research.
Innovation Solution
A graphical specification system that generates entity-state-based stage-wise formal specifications for life science processes, allowing researchers to specify workflows easily and accurately across different stages, independent of specific hardware, and enabling seamless data sharing and analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If multiple separate tools are used to capture different stages of research workflows, then information about each stage can be captured, but the system complexity increases and ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate tools for capturing experiment design, inventory, execution, and analysis into a single integrated research workflow management system. This unified system allows researchers to capture information across all stages of the DBTL cycle without needing to switch between multiple disparate tools, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining complete information capture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides universal functionality to handle multiple types of research information within a single platform. It can capture experiment designs, track inventory, execute protocols, and analyze results all through one interface, making the system adaptable to various research stages and eliminating the need for domain-specific separate tools.
2Loss of information
If multiple separate tools are used to capture different stages of research workflows, then information about each stage can be captured, but ease of operation decreases due to difficult setup and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple tool functions into a single integrated system, the patent eliminates the need for researchers to set up and maintain multiple separate tools. The unified system provides a single setup process and centralized maintenance, significantly improving ease of operation while maintaining the ability to capture complete workflow information.
3Quantity of substance
If proprietary formats are used for information storage in different tools, then each tool can store information efficiently, but data sharing and interoperability between tools become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs universal data standards and formats that enable seamless data sharing and interoperability across different research tools and platforms. By using standardized formats rather than proprietary ones, the system maintains efficient information storage while simultaneously enabling easy data exchange and collaboration between different research groups and tools.
4Loss of information
If expensive and difficult-to-maintain tools are used, then research information can be captured comprehensively, but research costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple expensive, specialized tools into a single integrated platform that provides comprehensive information capture capabilities. This consolidation reduces overall research costs by eliminating the need to purchase and maintain multiple separate commercial tools, while still providing complete workflow documentation and tracking across all research stages.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for entity state-based stage-wise formal specification of life science processes are provided. The method, for each such stage of a life science process, comprises specifying workflow in terms of a plurality of entities and/or batches of a plurality of entities (701) wherein entities include physical materials and digital files; applying information causing state change (702) to the at least one plurality of entities and/or batches of a plurality of entities to form its respective new entities (701′) with a modified state by way of specifying change specific parameters; generating each of the plurality of processes in their respective stages in a graphical specification comprising a plurality of layers with layer-specific information, each said layer further includes a plurality of nodes and edges, wherein layer represents each stage of the process, node of any shape or size represents one entity and/or a batch of multiple entities including their states; and edge represents information causing the state change in the entity and/or batch of multiple entities.