title: MolabIS--an integrated information system for storing and managing molecular genetics data.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Long-term sample storage, tracing of data flow and data export for subsequent analyses are of great importance in genetics studies. Therefore, molecular labs do need a proper information system to handle an increasing amount of data from different projects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We have developed a molecular labs information management system (MolabIS). It was implemented as a web-based system allowing the users to capture original data at each step of their workflow. MolabIS provides essential functionality for managing information on individuals, tracking samples and storage locations, capturing raw files, importing final data from external files, searching results, accessing and modifying data. Further important features are options to generate ready-to-print reports and convert sequence and microsatellite data into various data formats, which can be used as input files in subsequent analyses. Moreover, MolabIS also provides a tool for data migration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MolabIS is designed for small-to-medium sized labs conducting Sanger sequencing and microsatellite genotyping to store and efficiently handle a relative large amount of data. MolabIS not only helps to avoid time consuming tasks but also ensures the availability of data for further analyses. The software is packaged as a virtual appliance which can run on different platforms (e.g. Linux, Windows). MolabIS can be distributed to a wide range of molecular genetics labs since it was developed according to a general data model. Released under GPL, MolabIS is freely available at http://www.molabis.org.
authors: Department of Breeding and Genetic Resources, Institute of Farm Animal Genetics, Neustadt, Germany. cong.chi@fli.bund.de
authors: Cong V C
authors: CV
authors: Truong
authors: Linn F
authors: LF
authors: Groeneveld
authors: Burkhard
authors: B
authors: Morgenstern
authors: Eildert
authors: E
authors: Groeneveld
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003628:Database Management Systems; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D005838:Genotype; D019451:Information Management; D020407:Internet; D008331:Management Information Systems; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats