Species360 Introduces ZIMS Sample Storage

New in ZIMS for Medical:  Sample Storage helps zoo, aquarium, and other wildlife veterinarians manage biological samples for animal care and species conservation

Every day, zoos, aquariums, and wildlife institutions worldwide collect and save animal samples such as blood, tissue, or hair against future needs. Whether that future need is for genetic analysis, population conservation, disease monitoring or basic research, Species360 members need to know exactly what sample types have been stored, how they are being preserved, and where the material is located.

ZIMS for Medical – Sample Storage addresses this challenge by helping medical staff track biological samples and the history of the animal they represent. By maintaining a link to ZIMS animal records, health status, sample collection details and more, Sample Storage adds detail that can be critical to discovering breakthroughs in animal welfare and species conservation.

ZIMS Sample Storage is developed in partnership with wildlife veterinarians and veterinary technicians. The result is a solution that vastly improves the way that sample records and storage is managed.

In addition to linking to key animal data, Sample Storage streamlines much of the work around managing and using samples. Species360 members use it to:

• Create a sample storage location hierarchy, use existing global location templates or create new local templates.
• Manage storage locations to edit, delete, mark obsolete, or move a location within your institution.
• View Samples collection records entered via the medical dashboard within the sample storage module.  If a sample has not been entered, it may be recorded from the Place Samples into Storage screen so you do not have to switch modules.
• Move samples to storage from within the sample storage module or the medical dashboard screens.
• Reserve samples for a specific project and/or submission to a specific laboratory.
• Manage stored samples including search and removal functions, and sample location moves.
• View Samples with a Purpose, which identifies samples that have been reserved for a particular reason, such as a pending research study, so they can be efficiently removed in just a few steps.
• Export key reports about samples. Reporting features search for and export samples based on taxonomy, animal ID, health status, sample type, where it’s been sent, why it was removed, etc.

Available Now

Species360 members can now use Sample Storage as part of ZIMS for Medical. Access is assigned to members’ “Medical Administration” and “Veterinarian” staff when they login. There is no additional signup or cost; the solution is included with Species360 membership.

Sample Storage is the latest in a series of cloud-based solutions introduced by Species360, including ZIMS for Studbooks, ZIMS for Care and Welfare, and ZIMS for Aquatics. More than 1200 Species360 member institutions in 99 countries use ZIMS to curate and share information about the unique animals in their care, and to contribute critical missing data needed for species conservation.