Insights from the Lab: Q&A with Dara McCreary, Senior Scientific Business Analyst

1. Can you start by telling us a bit about your background and your role in the field of lab informatics and genomics research?

I completed my undergraduate degree in Cell and Molecular Biology at University College Dublin, followed by a Master’s in Regenerative Medicine at the University of Galway. I then spent a year researching rare epileptic diseases at Temple Street Children’s Hospital, before pursuing a PhD in Medical Sciences at University College London, where I studied protein attachment to bone graft substitutes.

After my PhD, I worked as a postdoctoral scientist at UCL’s Institute of Child Health, leading the development of diagnostic assays for autoimmune diseases that reduced diagnosis time from years to days. Later, as a product manager at a sequencing technology startup, I led validation efforts for advanced NGS solutions. Nearly two years ago, I joined Sapio Sciences, where I collaborate with stakeholders to tailor our platform to diverse scientific workflows, supporting clients from national hospitals to startups.

2. What excites you most about Sapio’s LIMS platform, and how do you think it’s transforming lab workflows, especially in complex, data-intensive fields like single-cell and spatial genomics?

What excites me most about Sapio’s LIMS platform is its ability to bring flexibility and structure to complex lab workflows, especially in data-intensive fields. The platform’s highly configurable functionality enables labs to tailor workflows to very specific scientific processes without the need for extensive custom development.

Sapio’s real-time data tracking allows the management of datasets efficiently and precisely. Having workflows in Sapio’s platform has helped labs identify and overcome bottlenecks. The platform supports seamless data integration from multiple instruments, allowing researchers to visualize and analyze data in one place. This can accelerate discovery but also enhance reproducibility.

My favorite part of the Sapio platform is the collaboration it allows. By providing centralized data access, lab teams can monitor and contribute to projects from anywhere, fostering faster insights and reducing errors.

3. Could you share some specific challenges labs face when managing multi-omics data, and how does Sapio’s LIMS address these issues to enhance productivity and collaboration?

Labs working with multi-omics data face unique challenges around data volume, complexity, integration, and traceability. Multi-omics studies, such as those combining genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, generate enormous amounts of highly complex data that must be meticulously organized, linked, and analyzed.

Sapio can help meet some of these challenges by:

• Integrating and standardizing this data: Sapio’s integration capabilities have the potential to streamline the intake of data from different instruments and enable it to be kept in one location. This eliminates the manual movement of data from various places, thereby saving time and reducing errors.
• Improving Sample tracking: Tracking samples and data across multiple systems can be tricky, but Sapio allows labs to trace samples and know exactly where they are, their processing history, and where they are stored. It will also allow labs to link each sample to its respective datasets and any associated metadata throughout its lifecycle.
• Ensuring Quality Control: Sapio’s LIMS enables automated QC checks, flagging inconsistencies and ensuring that only high-quality data is moved forward in the analysis pipeline.
• Scalability and Data Management: Without scalable systems, managing the growing dataset becomes challenging. Sapio’s LIMS is built for scalability, allowing labs to manage and process large volumes of multi-omics data efficiently.
• Enabling Collaborative Access and Real-Time Insights: Multi-omics research often requires teams to work across disciplines and locations, making collaboration crucial. Sapio’s LIMS facilitates centralized data access, enabling the real-time sharing of findings and insights with relevant stakeholders. Lab members can track project progress, review results, and collaborate without barriers, ultimately speeding up research timelines and enhancing productivity.

4. How does Sapio’s platform ensure seamless integration with other advanced technologies, and what advantages does this bring to users who are working on diverse experimental setups?

The Sapio platform allows for seamless integration with other technologies, making it more convenient for customers to combine all their experimental and instrument data on the platform. This offers a wide range of advantages, including:

• Streamlined Workflows: Reducing manual tasks and minimizing errors.
• Increased Efficiency: Real-time data synchronization from various instruments ensures the platform is updated simultaneously, meaning the user only needs to use the Sapio platform, eliminating the need to go elsewhere to view data and track progress.
• Improved Data Integrity: By having one source of truth, Sapio helps maintain high levels of accuracy and consistency.
• Enhanced Collaboration: Researchers can collaborate more effectively, sharing insights and problem-solving without the need to send links, photos, or descriptions to each other.
• Scalability: As research projects expand and more technologies are introduced, Sapio can handle the increased complexity and data volume.

5. How does Sapio LIMS support labs in scaling up operations and making impactful discoveries, and what unique capabilities make it stand out in the industry?

Sapio supports a lab’s ability to scale operations by enhancing workflow efficiency, improving data management, and enabling seamless collaboration across teams. This is achieved through the following key features:

• Scalable Architecture: Designed by our experienced Solution Architects and Application Engineers in collaboration with Scientific Business Analysts, ensuring the platform can grow alongside a lab’s expanding needs.
• Real-Time Data Access and Monitoring: Lab technicians and supervisors can track samples and turnaround times (TAT) throughout entire workflows, providing immediate visibility and improving decision-making.
• End-to-End Workflow Automation: Sapio streamlines lab processes with built-in automation, reducing manual effort and increasing operational efficiency.
• Customization to Fit Customer Needs: The Sapio platform is highly flexible and can be tailored to suit the specific needs of a wide range of labs, ensuring it adapts to their evolving requirements.
• Collaboration-Centric Features: With centralized data access and real-time updates, Sapio enhances collaboration, allowing teams to work more effectively and save time.