Challenge
The Yamanaka Lab at Gladstone Institutes faced challenges in managing research data and collaborating across international borders. With team members in San Francisco and Kyoto, they struggled to maintain consistent data management practices and ensure timely access to critical information. Their existing system, which relied on paper notebooks, personal computers, and shared cloud storage, made it difficult to track project progress, reference past experiments, and collaborate effectively across time zones.
Solution
The Yamanaka Lab implemented Colabra's R&D software to replace their fragmented data management system. Colabra provided a centralized platform for storing experimental data, protocols, and presentations, making information easily accessible to team members regardless of their location. The platform's intuitive design facilitated quick adoption, while its advanced features improved project management and collaboration.
The Yamanaka Lab at Gladstone Institutes, led by Nobel laureate Dr. Shinya Yamanaka, focuses on stem cell research and regenerative medicine. With team members split between San Francisco and Kyoto, the lab faces unique challenges in collaboration and data management.
Before adopting Colabra, the lab used a combination of methods to manage their research data:
- Paper notebooks for recording observations and experiments
- Personal computers for storing protocols and data
- Shared Dropbox folders for file sharing
- Email for communication and feedback
This fragmented approach made it difficult to maintain a comprehensive overview of ongoing projects and to collaborate effectively across locations.
"We were working with paper-based notebooks, and I often kept my actual data and protocols on my PC," says Haruko Kunitomi, a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Yamanaka Lab. "Sharing information with teammates involved transferring files to a shared Dropbox folder, which wasn't always done consistently."
The lab tried using other digital tools like Microsoft OneNote, but these solutions weren't tailored to scientific research and lacked features specific to lab work.
Bridging the gap between San Francisco and Kyoto
One of the key benefits of Colabra was its ability to facilitate collaboration between team members in different locations. With Dr. Yamanaka splitting his time between San Francisco and Kyoto, maintaining clear communication and oversight was crucial.
"Before Colabra, our interaction with Dr. Yamanaka was mainly limited to lab meetings and emails. Now, he can leave comments directly on specific experiments, providing more frequent and targeted supervision."
This real-time feedback capability has significantly improved the lab's ability to collaborate across borders, ensuring that all team members are aligned on project goals and progress.
Centralizing data and enhancing accessibility
Colabra has transformed the way the Yamanaka Lab manages and accesses its research data. By providing a central repository for all experimental data, protocols, and presentations, Colabra has made it easier for team members to find and reference critical information.
"Now, when I need to check a detail from a previous experiment or review a colleague's presentation, I can easily find it in Colabra. This has been particularly helpful when collaborating with our team member in Kyoto, who now has access to our workspace and can view relevant information at any time."
Improving project tracking and version control
The lab has particularly benefited from Colabra's project management features, especially in tracking long-term experiments and managing protocol versions.
"A lot of our experiments happen over the long term. With Colabra, we can easily link related experiments and access previous data with just one click. This is much more efficient than flipping through old paper notebooks."
Kunitomi also highlighted the value of Colabra's version control for protocols: "In biology, we often need to make small optimizations to our protocols. Colabra allows us to track these changes over time, making it easier to identify which version worked best for a particular experiment."
Facilitating real-time feedback and mentorship
Colabra has enhanced the mentorship and feedback process within the lab, particularly in interactions with Dr. Yamanaka.
"Dr. Yamanaka has made comments on my specific experiments through Colabra. This has increased the frequency and depth of his supervision, especially when he's in Japan and can't be physically present in the San Francisco lab."
Seamless adoption and integration into daily workflows
Despite initial concerns about transitioning from paper notebooks, the lab found Colabra easy to adopt and integrate into their daily routines.
"It's very easy to transition from a physical notebook. Colabra feels like a natural extension of what we were doing on paper, but with added convenience and features tailored to scientific research."
The platform's intuitive design has made it accessible even to team members who were initially hesitant about switching to a digital system.
Experience the benefits of digital transformation
The Yamanaka Lab's experience with Colabra demonstrates the potential for digital transformation in scientific research, particularly for teams collaborating across multiple locations. By centralizing data management, improving accessibility, and facilitating real-time communication, Colabra has helped the lab overcome the challenges of international collaboration and enhanced their overall research efficiency.
For organizations looking to streamline their R&D processes and improve collaboration across teams and locations, Colabra offers a powerful solution that can be tailored to specific research needs.
To learn more about how Colabra can transform your research workflow, schedule a personalized demo at [email protected].