CENSA Answers Scientists' Need for Electronic Lab Notebooks

Issues Membership Call to Computer Hardware and Software Vendors

--Scientists demand electronic notebook systems to facilitate recordkeeping, collaboration, speed R&D--

--Collaborative electronic lab notebooks seen as "cyberlink" replacements to today's paper notebooks--

Medford, MA February 18, 1998--Rich Lysakowski, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Collaborative Electronic Notebook Systems Association, Medford, MA today issued a special membership call to computer, communications systems, and software vendors to join CENSA to develop, jointly, science's newest and most productive research tools for laboratory, office, and field work--collaborative electronic notebook systems.

Deemed critical by scientists, and seen as "cyberlink" replacements to today's obsolete paper notebooks, collaborative electronic notebook systems facilitate research among the world's scientists; speed the capture, use, transfer, and archiving of critical and proprietary research data and records; and accelerate laboratory and R&D projects. These benefits are critical to scientists and corporations involved in biology, chemistry, materials, or high-tech R&D. The results apply anywhere large amounts of data must be captured as records and protected for long periods of time.

According to Executive Director Rich Lysakowski, "We are forming collaborative teams among CENSA, its End User Members, and key Supplier Members to drive the development of products using emerging standards such as XML (Extensible Markup Language), CORBA™ (Common Object Request Broker Architecture), Java™, JavaBeans™, and others.

"Some of the many companies who fit our Supplier Member profile include IBM®, Microsoft®, Netscape®, Documentum® , Inc., FileNet® Corporation, NovaSoft Systems, Inc., scientific software companies such as Molecular Simulations Inc., Tripos, Inc., MDL® Information Systems, CAS® (Chemical Abstract Services), IDBS (ID Business Systems Ltd.), NetGenics, Inc., Oxford Molecular Group, PLC, recordkeeping and archiving technology companies like Fujitsu®, Kodak®, and many others. These are but a few of the many different types of suppliers who can benefit from this collaboration." According to Lysakowski, specifications are being released to all members by March 1st 1998.

"In addition to becoming active in this global scientific association, Supplier Members get many benefits," said Lysakowski, "including gaining priority access to our End User members and their automation projects--these companies are ready and waiting for technologies that fit the needs that they have defined; receiving detailed statements and benchmark studies that meet US FDA, EPA, PTO and other regulatory agency compliance requirements, receiving system architecture and component specifications, and other knowledge deliverables; sponsoring specifications for adoption; receiving and responding to CENSA RFPs; and participating in quality certification programs."

CENSA is also seeking companies involved in collaboration, groupware, document workflow, image and records management systems; the World Wide Web and Web publishing systems; software and application development systems and tools; chemical information and bioinformatics, LIMS, instrument data systems; authentication and security hardware and software solutions, and other enabling technologies such as portable data, document, and record formats, voice recognition, pen and handheld computing, and wireless networking.

Software suppliers joining CENSA are being asked to build object-oriented, client/server and middleware modules and applications. Hardware vendors will be asked to build specialized wireless and hand-held PDA devices, portable notebooks, and special servers for running the new electronic recordkeeping protocols specified by CENSA.

CENSA is an international group of companies in the high technology, chemical, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, food, beverage, consumer goods, and other industries working together to solve major automation problems by creating products and systems that change the nature of science and innovation into the 21st Century.

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For more information contact:
Dr. Rich Lysakowski, Executive Director
The Collaborative Electronic Notebooks Systems Association
19 Bowen Avenue, Suite 100, Medford, MA 02155 U.S.A.
Tel: (781) 395-3004; Internet: