University of Nebraska faculty and laboratory groups now can access the Research Space electronic laboratory notebook system to manage documents.

Laboratory notebooks are essential in research labs to document protocols, experiments and results. However, sharing and storage of paper-based notebooks can often be a challenge and are time-consuming to search.

RSpace replaces the paper-based process with a system that documents protocols, notes, hypotheses, observations, figures, tables and pictures. ELNs offer more functionality through linking to data sets and repositories, sharing with multiple collaborators, versioning of entries and compliance with various standards.

The system includes a number of features:

• A text editor for writing notes in a way that replicates a paper notebook yet can be used from a desktop, tablet or mobile phone;
• Spreadsheet tools for calculations and formatting tables and graphs;
• Templates for documenting standard protocols;
• Laboratory inventory system for documenting samples, reagents and equipment;
• Organization based on research groups and collaborative groups consisting of multiple research groups;
• Individually adjustable read-and-write permissions that offer a wide range of options for collaborative work;
• Ability to automatically share items within the research group or allow the PI to share manually;
• Integration with cloud storage (e.g., OneDrive and Box) and other apps, such as Mendeley and Dataverse; and
• Ability to export notes and data in several formats.

RSpace is available to University of Nebraska system faculty and their laboratory groups, including staff and students. The university-licensed version of RSpace is installed on a HIPAA-compliant and HIPAA-certified cloud storage system managed by Information Technology Services and secured via the normal NU login with two-factor authentication.

User fees for the Research Space ELN are $45 per person until August 2024. A form to request access to the system is available online. Once the accounts are active, Research Space is accessible via https://rspace.nebraska.edu.

The Data and Life Sciences Core, part of the Nebraska Center for Integrative Biomolecular Communication, piloted RSpace for three years.

For more information, contact Jean-Jack Riethoven, research assistant professor, at jeanjack@unl.edu, or Jennifer Clarke, director of the Quantitative Life Sciences Initiative and professor of food science and technology, at jclarke3@unl.edu.

A 16-minute introductory video is available below. A full 90-minute training video also is available online.