The R&D pipeline is the foundation for building the future of any life science organization. It is the frontier for the discovery of new drug compounds and therapeutic agents. The top priority of R&D leaders is the continuous optimization and expansion of this pipeline to reduce operational inefficiencies and bring products to market faster, more cost effectively.

The rapid development of the COVID-19 vaccine showed the world that, with the right tools and technology, developmental timelines can be rapidly improved. It’s not a thing of the future.

“We need a revolution in science. We’re taught that the purpose of an experiment is to answer a binary question … to define a provable hypothesis and then test it. This approach has carried us far, but it’s no longer sufficient.” – Dr. Timothy Gardner, CEO, Riffyn”

A Revolution in Science

To make the same level of scientific excellence as witnessed in COVID-19 vaccine development an everyday reality, we need a profound shift in our scientific world view. This is perhaps best described by Dr. Timothy Gardner, CEO of Riffyn:

“We need a revolution in science. We’re taught that the purpose of an experiment is to answer a binary question … to define a provable hypothesis and then test it. This approach has carried us far, but it’s no longer sufficient.”

Gardner challenges the conventional approach to science wherein the purpose of the experiment is to answer whether a hypothesis is true, suggesting that a necessary question to ask — and answer —  “is my measurement a precise and accurate characterization of nature? Does it generate quality, permanent, reusable information?”

Gardner believes we need to shift the fundamental focus of the scientific process from proving a binary theory towards manufacturing quality data, and then applying logic and advanced analytics to understand the complex cause and effect relationships revealed by the data itself.

The Bridge from Data to Discovery

As we shift from answering binary questions to emphasizing quality data even before running a single experiment, the quantity and quality of data produced by R&D labs will increase even faster than it already is. Effective data management will be critical for the survival of the R&D laboratory. Without it, laboratories will remain a sieve through which they lose valuable information.

Recognizing this, Gardner founded Riffyn to enable R&D labs to embrace the revolutionary concept of science as the manufacturing of information. Riffyn’s cloud-based Process Data System, Riffyn Nexus™, helps R&D labs generate FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data through its process-centric architecture.

Features such as sample and process traceability, versioning, and automatic data contextualization and formatting help R&D groups accelerate the iterative improvement of processes with rich datasets they produce. The ability to quickly identify sources of error also means better informed decisions. The bottom line: bringing life-saving products to market faster.

Conclusion

Innovation necessitates a new paradigm and transformative tools. Using processes as the organizing principle for data storage, analysis, and user interface, Riffyn Nexus helps R&D organization maximize high-quality, informative, reproducible data, bridging the gap from data to new product development.

Why it Matters for You

Quality holds the key to rapid product innovation – quality in measurement, process design and data analysis. Shifting the scientific paradigm to producing quality data enables better understanding of the complex cause and effect relationships, accelerating the R&D process.

• Riffyn Nexus provides a process centric approach to R&D by embedding the view of experiments as measurement processes in conjunction with quality and DoE methodologies.
• Applying the tools of quality enables accurate and precise measurement,  experiment after experiment, allowing for analysis at scale with AI and ML tools to drive new insights.
• Creating FAIR data that is a reusable asset can be achieved by using Riffyn Nexus to facilitate data collection and contextualization for connected, automated, real-time analytics across teams and organizations.

About Astrix

Astrix partners with many of the industry leaders in the informatics space to offer state of the art solutions for all of your laboratory informatics needs. With over 25 years of industry proven experience, Astrix has the informatics specialists and business process analysis tools required to develop and implement the solution that works best for your enterprise. Our domain experts have helped hundreds of companies globally effectively navigate their digital transformation journey, connecting people, processes and systems to accelerate the advancement of science and medicine.