Molecular Pathology Laboratory Network, a UK-based specialist in molecular testing, has implemented a Web system built on InterSystems` Cach'e 5 to enable better viewing of complex test results. The new application is a major leap forward in laboratory information management in high-profile fields such as genomics and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing.
The company has been at the forefront of applying molecular techniques to diagnostic testing and its laboratory manages data for more than 100 000 analyses each year.
"Given the extremely complex data required for sophisticated diagnostic testing, we needed database software that could enable high-performance transaction processing and also deliver real-time data analytics for queries and reports," says Kenneth Billings, CIO at Molecular Pathology Laboratory Network. "The ability of Cach'e to perform Transactional Bitmap Indexing, along with its XML capabilities, fast performance, and scalability made it the logical database choice."
Molecular Pathology specialises in genomic laboratory medicine including DNA testing for infectious diseases, molecular oncology, mutational analysis, and human identity testing. The company began developing the lab system in December 2001.
"Since no application in the market met our specific needs, we realised it was necessary to build a system capable of managing our data and expanding with our business," says Billings. "The number of specialised tests we have performed has grown tremendously in the past year-and-a-half. This meant we had to develop this application quickly, and Cach'e offered the rapid development features that made it possible to achieve that objective. InterSystems also provided the strong support needed to ensure we could work to a very aggressive development and deployment schedule."
The application runs virtually all processes for the company`s labs, tracking specimens and producing automated reports. Because the system is browser-based, clients are able to log onto a secure Web site and view test results from locations anywhere in the world.
With the introduction of a new Transactional Bitmap Indexing technology, Cach'e is the first database management system addressing the need to deliver real-time query capabilities in conjunction with high-performance transaction processing. Cach'e 5 also includes built-in support for Web services, with full support of SOAP and WSDL. This feature enables applications to be built and Web services-enabled very quickly. Also, with the development of the new Enterprise Cach'e Protocol, the database delivers the highest performance and scalability for multi-server configurations.
"It`s truly gratifying to see Cach'e making the grade in extremely demanding application environments," says Henry Adams, country manager at InterSystems South Africa. "Molecular Pathology is leveraging Cach'e functionality to the fullest, a strategy that complements its positioning as the best in the bio-informatics sector."
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