Introduction: Modern Tools, Manual Data Handling
Despite incredible advances in flow cytometry software and instrumentation, a major hurdle has continued to haunt many researchers—moving data across the research workflow. In order to progress from initial idea to actionable insights, researchers must transition through a series of steps, including:
Designing and optimizing panels (including for high-dimensional assays)
Planning and requesting experiments using an ELN/LIMS
Acquiring raw results data from instruments
Performing classical and modern flow data analysis with specialty software
Storing, parsing, and converting results
Modeling and visualizing flow data
Integrating and contextualizing data with ancillary sources, such as clinical data
To move through these key research stages, teams often need to manually handle data as they navigate a labyrinth of software, instruments, external systems, siloed data sources, files shares, and spreadsheets. This not only wastes time and risks error, but it also makes it difficult to uncover insights and make connections. While some quick fixes, like JSON conversion, can help with collecting and standardizing instrument data, this early workflow optimization still leaves researchers struggling to perform advanced analyses and attain deeper contextualization later in the research workflow. The bottom line is that dataflows are hindering workflows. Dotmatics is changing this paradigm.
Optimizing Workflows by Facilitating Dataflows
By addressing the disconnect between complex workflows and manual dataflows, flow cytometry teams can optimize their analysis like never before possible. Dotmatics is helping facilitate this transformative change by providing core technology that unites the broad range of instruments, data, and specialty software needed in modern flow cytometry analysis. The synergistic Dotmatics flow cytometry analysis solution minimizes manual data handling, automates repetitive steps, and delivers clean, organized, well-tagged, FAIR-compliant data right alongside the advanced analysis tools experts need to scrutinize data and drive research decisions.
Luma and OMIQ Integration:
A Synergistic Solution for End-to-End Optimization
By integrating essential technologies needed in modern flow cytometry analysis, Dotmatics is helping researchers optimize the entirety of their analysis workflows, not just bits and pieces. Key amongst these integrated technologies are:
the AI-powered Luma data management platform that facilitates instrument integration, data acquisition and processing, and workflow/dataflow automation
the OMIQ cloud-based cytometry analysis platform that offers classical manual analysis alongside 30+ natively-integrated advanced algorithms, autogating functionality, and customizable analytical workflows that are shareable, automatable, and auditable
These two trusted products form the core of the integrated Dotmatics flow cytometry solution, which enables:
integration of data management and analysis tools (e.g., classical, advanced, statistical, sequence) on a bi-directional platform that is built on Databricks
automated instrument data uploads with intelligent parsing
customizable metadata tagging of FCS files
creation of a searchable, scalable repository of interoperable FAIR-compliant data
contextualization of cytometry results with ancillary data (e.g., experiment, patient, clinical, and genomics data)
seamless dataflow across an auditable end-to-end research workflow
With these capabilities, researchers are empowered to more quickly progress through the myriad of steps needed to transform raw cytometry results data into the informed insights that drive decision making.
Figure 1: Dotmatics helps experts move beyond disjointed workflows and manual data handling. With OMIQ integrated onto the Luma data platform, researchers can seamlessly access, analyze, and contextualize well-tagged cytometry data in order to drive research decisions.
On-Demand Webinar: Rethinking Flow Cytometry - Eliminating Manual Data Handling with the Luma and OMIQ Integration
Want to learn more about this powerful new approach to optimizing flow cytometry analysis? Watch the on-demand webinar: Rethinking Flow Cytometry - Eliminating Manual Data Handling with the Luma and OMIQ Integration.
Topics explored include:
Manual data handling pitfalls that slow down and compromise cytometry analysis
Automated analysis benefits, including improved efficiency and reduced human error
Instrument and software options to accelerate data transfers and decision making
Dotmatics’ end-to-end integrated solution that streamlines the entire cytometry analysis process by enabling automatic instrument data uploads, intelligent metadata tagging, autogating, and in-depth cytometry and statistical analyses
Real-time demos are given to illustrate how the integrated Dotmatics flow cytometry solution helps optimize, and where possible automate, the specific workflow steps needed to:
Gather results data for analysis
Supplement with experimental metadata (e.g., compound, sample, concentration, and target data in preparation for dose-response analysis)
Run advanced cytometry analysis workflows with OMIQ (e.g., autogating)
Export results to further exploration (e.g., Prism statistical analysis)
Presenters include:
Phil Mounteny (Regional VP, Science & Technology, Dotmatics) - Phil holds a PhD in Polymer Chemistry. He has extensive history working at the intersection of science and technology. At Dotmatics, Phil previously led the North American application scientist team, where he focused on pre-sales, delivery, and client management. Now serving as Dotmatics’ Regional VP of Science and Technology, Phil often works closely with customers to perform consultations, system analyses, and business practice assessment in order to help Dotmatics deliver solutions that meet real market needs.
Julia Prier (Senior Product Manager, OMIQ) - Julia has a PhD from the University of Melbourne and she conducted postdoctoral research in collaboration with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) in Singapore. Her work combined flow cytometry, sequencing, and machine learning to understand cells critical for defense against cancer and viruses. During her 10+ years in the laboratory in the fields of immunology and virology, she gained experience in the broad areas of molecular biology, cell biology, and bioinformatics.