Time and Cost Savings in the Supply of Samples for Assay

London based Titian Software is an established supplier of software products and consultancy for the management of samples (compounds, biologicals and reagents). Its Mosaic sample management software platform, installed and customised to a customer’s requirements, is used by independent laboratories, biobanks and large biopharma companies across the world. 

Modern laboratories are continuously under pressure, from both internal and external sources, to run efficiently, through cost and waste reduction, and to maintain a competitive edge, through improved productivity and time-savings wherever possible. Titian is now launching a new Assay Requesting expansion for its modular software platform to enhance overall sample and assay management efficiency, saving organisations both time and cost.

We spoke to David Booth, Regional Sales Manager for Europe at Titian to find out more about this new module and how it can benefit both individual users and organisations as a whole.

Q: You are introducing the new Assay Requesting module as part of the release of Mosaic 6.0, what does this do and how does it fit into the Mosaic workflow?

A: We developed the Assay Requesting module in conjunction with a global pharma company to make the submission of requests simpler and to make the logistical support for assay plate preparation more time-efficient for the compound library users. There can be significant costs involved in each individual assay run, and often these are performed ‘as-required’ which may not make the best use of resources, reagents, labware and time. The new Assay Requesting module addresses this issue and it is fully integrated into the current Mosaic environment to provide seamless operation.

For individuals that need to request frequently used assays, for example a binding assay for a recombinant protein, the new module provides a simplified user interface for the requestor. The requirements for such assays can be preloaded into Mosaic allowing the requestor to simply select the compounds and assays they would like to have performed. This means that a wider range of users can request assays without the need for specialist knowledge of each type of assay. Along the same vein, the interface provides the requestor with live feedback on stock levels and format of compounds, determines whether an assay can be performed or has previously been performed and indicates alternative or additional workflows that may be required to successfully prepare the compounds for assay.

Often there are many requests from multiple users, potentially from sites around the world, and these are collected together for an assayist to review. The assayist has the ability to select and aggregate requests of the same type, prioritise specific assays and generate Mosaic orders for these requests. Requestors can then receive feedback that their assay requests have been approved while the order is tracked through Mosaic to fulfilment.

Q: What are the benefits of using the Assay Requesting module to an organisation?

A: The new module provides a simplified and streamlined workflow for assay requests, making the most efficient use of a requestor’s time. Similarly, there is a time and cost saving introduced by allowing an assayist to prioritise and aggregate requests. By moving away from an ‘as-required’ approach, fewer individual assay runs are required and more complete assay plates are processed for a given batch of requests. This reduces reagent and consumable waste and, by focusing on important assays, results in improved assay platform efficiency.

Q: What are the benefits to the users (requestors and assayists)?

A: Both requestors and assayists benefit from the Assay Requesting module as it allows them to make better use of their time. As assays can be predefined in Mosaic, requestors do not need to enter all the parameters of frequently used assays. This means less time is spent generating requests and users do not need to have expert knowledge for every assay, or be trained to use the more advanced Mosaic ordering interface. The live feedback on compound availability, format, and whether there are additional provisioning requirements allow the requestors to immediately take actions to ensure the requests are approved. Highlighting potential duplications of assays also reduces any wastage of compounds and reagents.

The assayists benefit from the fuller functionality of Mosaic. They can ensure their time and the downstream processes are used as efficiently as possible by prioritising and aggregating requests. This also results in better use of sample preparation steps, assay resources and equipment, leading to improvements to overall operational efficiency.