MUSA recently attended the 2010 BIO-IT convention in Boston, as well as the BIO International convention in Chicago. As an exhibitor, we were of course interested in how some of our newest services and solutions would be received.  At the same time, we wanted to gain a broader experience and understanding of some of the trends going on in the industry right now, and how these trends are being addressed.

As a lab specialist, I was particularly interested to see the latest developments in data integration solutions. At BIO-IT, I wasn’t disappointed – there were a number of vendors that had offerings in this area. On one hand, this was very encouraging to see. Data integration technologies are really beginning to emerge and gain ground, in response to a growing call from the scientific communities for tools and solutions that will help them work with their data.

This doesn’t mean the instrument manufacturers will jump on the standards development bandwagon. However, as data integration solutions continue to gain a broader foothold and user adoption, the demand for open access will become progressively harder for the manufacturers to ignore.

There was one pitfall to most of the solutions I saw at BIO-IT: cost. It seems that many of the Data Integration solutions available on the market right now are enterprise level. Many of the applications I saw were impressive, offering very powerful toolsets. The downside is that entry price, in one case, was nearly $50,000. A full deployment was hundreds of thousands, and required specialized staff to be onsite. If you’re big pharma, that may not be an obstacle. But if you’re a startup, or a small company, many of these solutions will be out of reach. On the other end of the spectrum, there were some DI vendors who are offering right sized solutions, but lack the visibility (and marketing budgets) of larger companies.

This is what makes shows such as BIO-IT and BIO International so important – it’s a chance for everyone to see “what’s out there” first hand. The shows allow new companies to network, and connect with others to collaborate, share information or partner. And, of course, they provide direct access to users who may be interested in their products.

BIO International in Chicago was a great example of information exchange and networking. For me, the best thing about BIO was the collaboration. Nothing replaces face to face meetings. It’s just the best interactive format for people to really learn who you are, what you do, and what you have to offer, and vice versa. So, this is the best way to further data integration and standards development, right?

The answer to this question is surprising. I recently spoke with a number of people who attended shows such as PITTCON and Smartlabs Exchange, and they voiced a common concern: while nearly everyone who gave or attended sessions agreed the need for data integration and standards exist, there isn’t a lot of agreement about what to do about it. The movement just lacks a clear direction right now.

The answer to this problem may be as simple as time. While the direction or the form of the change may not be clear now, shows such as BIO-IT and BIO International clearly indicate we are in the early stages. We’re seeing more examples of information exchange, more vendors creating new products, and people are talking. Which is to say, we’re making progress.

For information about MUSA's data integration and lab support services, contact us through MUSA's information request form or call (800) 401-9123.