title: SLIMarray: lightweight software for microarray facility management.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Microarray core facilities are commonplace in biological research organizations, and need systems for accurately tracking various logistical aspects of their operation. Although these different needs could be handled separately, an integrated management system provides benefits in organization, automation and reduction in errors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We present SLIMarray (System for Lab Information Management of Microarrays), an open source, modular database web application capable of managing microarray inventories, sample processing and usage charges. The software allows modular configuration and is well suited for further development, providing users the flexibility to adapt it to their needs. SLIMarray Lite, a version of the software that is especially easy to install and run, is also available.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SLIMarray addresses the previously unmet need for free and open source software for managing the logistics of a microarray core facility.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Systems Biology, 1441 N 34th Street, Seattle, Washington, USA. bmarzolf@systemsbiology.org
authors.forename: Bruz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marzolf
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Troisch