Templates, Studies & Experiments

Having recognised that most laboratories conduct their mouse lymphoma assays according to a specific procedure and design, the MLA Study Manager makes extensive use of customisable templates on which to base new studies, experiments etc. and thus avoid unnecessary repetition. For example, experiment templates may include pre-defined negative controls (solvent and untreated) and any number of treatment concentrations and positive controls. They can be set to include default values for cell culture such as target cell densities, target volumes etc., as well as the number of replicate cultures per concentration. Experiment templates also allow the user to define the number of plates per culture for Survival, Viability and Mutant Selection.

Conceptually, the program links a particular Test Substance to one or more Studies. Each Study consists of one or more Experiments. Each experiment can represent a single treatment such as a short time point with metabolic activation. Alternatively, the experiment can group together a series of treatments such as a short treatment both with and without S9 and a long treatment without S9. In fact, the program is so flexible that it can accommodate any combination of controls & treatments with the same or different numbers of replicate cultures.

To create a new study, a logical procedure is followed starting with entering details of the test substance (Name, CAS no., Physical nature etc). An appropriate study template is selected and details for the new study are entered e.g. Study Code, Study Director, Substance etc.

Experiments are then automatically generated from the appropriate experimental templates. Any changes to the experiment layout defined within the template can still be made at this point should there be a need to depart from the usual SOP. Each experiment is linked to the study and then locked from further editing ready for the assay to be performed.

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