Digital Research Notebooks

Digital Research Notebooks (DRNs) are a UQ wide digital solution that replaces paper based research notebooks and lab notebooks.

Provisioned via the UQ Research Data Manager (RDM)  system, it allows you to organise, store, curate and share all your project's research or laboratory data including working documents, images, observations, and data in any format.

UQ's DRNs use the LabArchives platform, ensuring your project's data can be managed from a single point, on multiple devices, and from anywhere.

For more information on the UQ Research Data Manager, please see the Guide.

Key Features

• Data Management  – you are able to manage and organise all of your project's research data and information in one place, using an intuitive and flexible structure.
• Searchable –  DRNs can be searched by keywords or tags and even by the contents of files.
• Sharing – data can be accessed by your research group and collaborators, while you retain control over what is shared.
• Inventory – samples, reagents and consumables can be kept up-to-date in an easy-to-use visual display.
• IP protected – intellectual property is protected with third party data and timestamps.
• Data security – data is centrally stored including historical versions of every file, recording the date, time and username kept for audit-ability and ensuring responsible conduct of research.  UQ DRNs provider LabArchives utilises Amazon Web Services (AWS) for all its infrastructure needs including networks, firewalls, computing, storage, database, etc.  AWS compliance details are available at https://aws.amazon.com/compliance.
• Portability – the cloud-based platform can be accessed anywhere, anytime from both iOS and Android devices.
• Seamless – files, photos and documents can be moved directly into DRNs and stored. DRNs are integrated with existing research data workflows and infrastructure.

LabArchives is a secure, cloud based collaborative research data management and electronic laboratory notebook platform. Adopted by many Go8 universities it is now part of the UQRDM suite of research data management services.  

The Lab Archives DRN is suitable for research across all disciplines at UQ, and provides secure storage based in Australia. You can access your project's data from anywhere, including in the field, via mobile apps for Android and Apple.

LabArchives is integrated with many tools used by UQ researchers including Microsoft Office, ChemDoodle (for chemical sketching), GraphPad Prism, Vernier Logger Pro, Google Docs, allowing you to work and save these directly within the DRN environment.  The tools also allow you to write mathematical equations and download machine generated data using Folder Monitor function.

Using LabArchives Electronic Laboratory Notebook (ELN) in your lab (YouTube, 2m40s)