PAuLa – Peptide Automation Lane

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Ulm, 2002 – 2015
Design and implementation of a LIMS for peptide production

Context

This project involved automation software for the production and quality control of peptides in a biotechnology environment.

At the start, no digital workflow or information management system existed for peptide production, making process modeling and stakeholder alignment critical.

Through extensive audits, the existing workflow was documented and transformed into a structured digital model.

After the implementation phase, PAuLa demonstrated:

  • Rapid commissioning
  • Immediate efficiency gains across multiple production areas
  • Low-maintenance operation

PAuLa is an agile system that continues to evolve, meeting the growing demand for peptides over the past decade.

Responsibilities

  • Requirements Engineering
  • Specification documentation
  • Database design
  • ERP system interface design
  • Software design
  • Implementation
PAuLa Overview

System Requirements

  • Elimination of isolated systems
  • Centralized storage of all laboratory data
  • Integration of production and analytical instruments:
    • Synthesizers
    • Preparative HPLC
    • Mass spectrometers
    • Analytical HPLC
  • Barcode scanner integration for lab data tracking
  • Processing of binary, ASCII, WMF, GIF, and other formats
  • Quality management:
    • "Quality Review" module bridging production and QC
    • Product Sheets / Quality Certificates

System Environment

  • MSSQL Server 7.0 / 2000 / 2008 R2
  • Navision Financials

Development Tools

  • Borland Delphi 5.0 / 7.0
  • CVSNT / WinCvs
  • MSSQL Enterprise Manager / Query Analyzer

Modules & Features

Synthesizer Assignment
Synthesizer Assignment

Peptides not yet synthesized are assigned to a synthesizer palette using multiselect drag & drop.

Peptide Tree
Peptide Tree

Peptides and related objects are hierarchically structured, with automated status propagation. Various peptide types produced in different workflows are typified, affecting both status models and automatic sub-object generation.

Preparative HPLC
Preparative HPLC

The preparative HPLC purifies peptides in phases, with fraction collection. All relevant data is captured in the LIMS and online chromatograms are automatically generated, enabling early assessment of product location within fractions.

High-Throughput Synthesizer Assignment
High Throughput Synthesizer Assignment
Synthesizer Occupancy Sheet
Synthesizer Sheet