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The Institute's
joint mission with the local NHS Trust is:
To promote excellence
in the research, development and teaching of psychiatry and its
allied subjects and to apply and disseminate this knowledge with
the aim of preventing mental disorder and developing treatments
for the relief of suffering.
The Requirement
ExPD, a leading
barcode systems integrator, was asked to help the Research and Development
Unit of the Institute of Psychiatry in a study involving the testing
of DNA samples of identical and non-identical twins. The aim of
the project is to discover whether certain disorders are caused
by genetic or environmental factors.
"We needed an
effective method of labelling and tracking the DNA samples for the
study" said Mr Bernard Freeman. "If a sample is labelled incorrectly,
or the associated details mislaid, months of research can be wasted."
"For previous
studies, the team labelled all DNA samples by hand and then tracked
them manually. However, this method involved large amounts of paperwork
which could get lost or become illegible" said Bob Fenton, Managing
Director of ExPD.
The Solution
The research and
development team approached ExPD and asked the company to utilise
its experience in information systems to help find an effective
solution.
"With the help
of Toshiba TEC and their distributor Advanced Bar Coding Ltd. we
developed a way to track the samples by means of barcodes and Portable
Data Collection terminals using Datalogic ID Ware F734 Pocket Data
Capture terminals. The relevant information was put onto computer,
where it could be called up in reference to each particular specimen."
ExPD's barcoding
solution helped to make labelling and tracking simpler and quicker
for the research team. However, a new set of problems came to light
when the samples were stored in the department's freezers, where
temperatures are set as low as -80 degrees .
The information was failing to scan properly, even though the team
were spraying the laser printed labels with an acrylic substance
to protect the barcodes from the effects of the cold.
Once again, the
experts at ExPD and Toshiba TEC were on hand with their expertise.
Working alongside the research team, they decided to recommend printing
the labels on Hi-tack polyester labels, using the TEC B-372 thermal
printer.
"This solved the
problem" said Bob Fenton. "The polyester labels preserve the integrity
of the barcodes and the B-372 printer is hard-wearing and reliable
enought to withstand the rigours of a laboratory environment. Plus,
it performs particularly well when printing on small media."
The B-372 was
specifically chosen for the task as it is a thermal transfer printer
featuring a 3" wide near-edge floating printhead. It prints high
quality labels and tags at speeds of up to 8" per second onto a
variety of materials, and features automatic ribbon-save plus an
internal rewinder. It is also one of the company's most robust models,
renowned for its rugged performance.
The Benefits
The Research and
Development team is more than pleased with the solution provided
by ExPD and Toshiba TEC. "We can now locate any one of 10,000 DNA
samples easily and accurately" says Mr Freeman.
"The software
and the thermal printer have made a real difference to the way we
work. We have not had one single faulty read since using the new
printer and labels. We can now concentrate on our valuable research
rather than spend hours on paperwork."
Toshiba TEC reports
that the project is a typical example of the way a manufacturer,
distributor and reseller work together to provide the customer with
an ideal barcode systems package to suit their needs.
"We were happy
to be involved in such a good cause" concluded Bob Fenton, "We feel
we have played an important role in helping the Institute of Psychiatry
embark on this important study."
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