Electronic lab notebook for Max Planck scientists
Labfolder at the MPG
Labfolder is an electronic lab notebook that allows you to organize, record and share data obtained in a laboratory on a secure platform. The Max Plank Digital Library (MPDL) licenses Labfolder via a central contract so that researchers can focus on its use instead of dealing with contracting and licensing costs. The official announcement, as well as a link to the press release, can be found here.
What are the benefits of using an electronic lab notebook?
Integrate all your data directly into your records
Search and filter through full texts to find entries
Customize entries by dragging and dropping different elements
Collaborate with colleagues
Create templates and protocols for recurring workflows
Set up multiple databases to organize laboratory materials
Securely encrypted via SSL and backed up regularly
MPG Case Studies
MPI for the Science of Light
André Gemeinhardt
Doctoral Student
"We can keep a nice and organized track of our work and we are able to find things that we did in the past, even if the respective group member has left the group in the meantime."
Could you tell us a bit about your research and what you find exciting about it?
I am working in a research field that combines optics (microscopy, nano optics, laser technology) with biology (cellular interaction, viruses, DNA, proteins). I find it exciting that I work in a chemical, biological, and optical lab on a daily basis and combine all these fields to learn more about nature. I am working on my PhD thesis in the field of biophysics.
How does your team use Labfolder? What are the tasks that are being completed using our software?
We just started to use Labfolder in our group as an electronic lab notebook. We document our experiments and research with Labfolder. The type of work that is carried out and needs to be documented is very broad, as we have physicists, biologists, and chemists working with the tool.
How does Labfolder help your research team achieve its objectives?
We can keep a nice and organized track of our work and we are able to find things that we did in the past, even if the respective group member has left the group in the meantime. We don't need to tediously search for entries in old hardcopy lab books or end up redoing the same experiments over and over again.
Do you have any tips for other Labfolder users, to help them make sure that their research data is well organized and easily retrievable?
If you have a large group and work in different types of work, organisation can be tricky. Our experiments usually evolve around a specific optical setup. That is why we structured actual laboratory room numbers with folders and setups with sub folders. This allows to easily find notes about a certain project.
Additionally, we adapted the concept of a material database in Labfolder for large devices that we share within the group (like an atomic force microscope or a sputtering machine). When someone creates an entry, he can tag such an device in it. This allows for a easy search if you want to find all the things you (or also other users) did on a specific device.
MPI for Terrestrial Microbiology
Dominik Schumacher
Postdoctoral Fellow
"Starting with Labfolder was an important step in renewing our entire documentation system which allows us to distribute information in an easy way to new people in the lab."
Could you tell us a bit about your research and what you find exciting about it?
The focus of our research is to understand mechanisms that allow bacteria to adapt and differentiate in response to environmental changes. These include rapid changes in gene expression, regulation of cellular locomotion and cell cycle regulation. To investigate the underlying mechanisms, we make use of genetic manipulation and fluorescence live cell imaging as well as a variety of biochemical assays. This information is a prerequisite to understand how bacterial regulate these processes in space and time.
How does your team use Labfolder? What are the tasks that are being completed using our software?
With Labfolder we have completely replaced our hand-written lab notes to a modern and sophisticated documentation system. We use Labfolder for our daily work by documenting experiments and results as well as sharing protocols within the different subgroups of the lab. Finally, we implemented Labfolder as a tool for inventory management of genetically modified bacterial strains, plasmids and proteins.
How does Labfolder help your research team achieve its objectives?
One important feature of Labfolder is that it keeps track of a lot of information. In addition it finds the single plasmid map you are looking for in many pages of documentation with its advanced search option. With this you spend less time on looking through pages manually and can spend more time on the important things in your research.
Do you have any tips for other Labfolder users, to help them make sure that their research data is well organized and easily retrievable?
We use Labfolder to organize our inventory documentation of genetic plasmids and strains. We mark single entries with tags that can be found with the search tool. These entries can then be exported as pdf documents.
MPG central installation
Labfolder can be used on the central installation provided by the MPDL. All of your data will be securely stored at the GWDG. To create a new account, you must be connected to the Max Planck network. Once your account is set up, you no longer need to be connected to the network, and you will be able to log in to Labfolder from anywhere.
Local server installation
Each institute also has the option to install and host Labfolder locally. If you are interested in receiving more information about setting up Labfolder on-site, then please reach out to your Account Manager Katharina Marx.
The currently existing local installations with their respective links are listed below. In order to access them, you must be connected to the MPG network and be a member of the respective institute.
MPI of Biochemistry
MPI for Biophysical Chemistry
MPI for Chemical Ecology
MPI for Chemical Physics of Solids
MPI for Chemistry
MPI for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems
MPI of Experimental Medicine
MPI for Infection Biology
MPI for Molecular Genetics
MPI of Molecular Physiology
MPI for the Biology of Aging
MPI for Psycholinguistics
MPI of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics
Master Labfolder with Guided Video Tutorials!
Get familiar with Labfolder by watching our concise, step-by-step videos covering essential features and common workflows — designed to help you get started smoothly.
Watch the Labfolder Video Tutorials
Create a group
Within Labfolder, you are able to create a shared space, called Labfolder group. This will enable you to work collaboratively on your research questions and share common protocols with your team.
- Go to
Manage>Groups. - Click on
+Addbutton toAdd a new group. - Name your Labfolder group and confirm by clicking
Create.
Invite your colleagues
Group administrators have the capability to invite their team members, regardless of whether the team member has created their own accounts at the time of invitation. Once invited, your colleagues will receive an email providing instructions on how to register and/or join the group.
To invite your colleagues, please follow the steps below:
Step 1: Navigate to “Groups” using the navigation panel on the left side.
Step 2: Select the Group to which you would like to invite new members.
Step 3: Click on the “Invite user” option at the top right corner.
Step 4: Enter the member’s email address and choose the (Sub-)Group you would like the member to be invited to. Then click “Invite”.
Step 5: After receiving the confirmation message, click “OK”.
Step 6: You can view the status of your group invitations in the group menu at any time.
Join your group
After joining your group, you can use your electronic laboratory notebook to collaborate with your colleagues in real-time. Together, you can add entries to common projects, create a shared repository of protocols, comment on each other’s data to improve troubleshooting, and even assign and receive tasks to improve lab efficiency.
Step 1: Open the email titled “You have been invited to join a Labfolder group!” from system@labfolder.com. Click on the “Accept invitation” button in the middle of the message. The link to the Labfolder login page will automatically open in a new tab.
Login with your existing credentials. If you don’t have an account yet, simply create one using the button provided. Once signed in, navigate to “Groups” using the left-side navigation panel.
Step 2: Click on “Invitation pending” on the top panel.
Step 3: The admin who invited you and the group that you will join is stated in the dropdown window. A warning message will also be displayed if the admin of the group prevents private projects. Confirm by clicking the “Join Group” button.
Get Started with Labfolder: Watch Our Video Tutorials
To get familiar with Labfolder, we recommend visiting our video tutorials page. There, you’ll find short videos with step-by-step explanations demonstrating the key features and workflows Labfolder offers.
Watch the Labfolder Video Tutorials
Visit Our Knowledge Base for FAQs & Support
Our website also features a comprehensive Knowledge Base where you can browse frequently asked questions organized by topic. For quicker access, you can use the search bar at the top of the page to find specific answers and guidance.
Tips for a successful ELN transition
At Scisure, we are here to support you to successfully transition to Labfolder and have collected tips regarding all organizational aspects of the change process, how to communicate successfully with your team, and how to provide them with continued support.
Download our Tips for a successful ELN transition
Guide to set up your lab inventory with Labregister
We want to support you with the crucial task of lab inventory management and have created a step-by-step guideline on how to set up and maintain your inventory with Labregister.
Download Guide to set up your lab inventory with Labregister
Your Labfolder Success Manager
Hi, I’m Alankrita Doval, your dedicated Success Manager at Labfolder. I’m here to guide you through a smooth onboarding experience and ensure you feel confident using the platform from day one. Labfolder is designed to be intuitive and easy to learn, with a user-friendly interface, making it simple to organize your research and collaborate efficiently. With my expertise, I’ll provide tailored training and ongoing support to help you seamlessly integrate Labfolder into your daily lab routines. Let’s simplify your lab work and make collaboration easier together.
If you have any specific questions or requests, you can reach us at the following address: customersuccess@labfolder.com
If you are interested in receiving more information about setting up Labfolder on-site, then please reach out to your Account Manager Katharina Marx.
Stay Informed
If you would like to receive news about Labfolder, such as information about new updates and maintenance work on the central MPG installation, feel free to subscribe to the mailing list managed by the MPDL.
Server Release Updates
To keep yourself up to date on any server updates, such as the functionalities that have been added to Labfolder and which bugs were fixed, please take a look at our server release notes.
Labfolder’s Support Team
Labfolder’s support team is entirely composed of former scientists, understanding the struggles in the laboratory. We are happy to help you with any questions you may have about using our ELN. In order to quickly address any problems you are experiencing, we would kindly ask you to send a short description together with some screenshots to feedback@labfolder.com.
We are also the right people to contact if you have any suggestions for features that you think are missing in Labfolder. Again, please explain what functionality you are looking for and what you are tryin to achieve with this.
Frequently asked questions
Our website provides a helpdesk where you can find frequently asked questions. Questions are sorted by topics, but you can also use the search bar at the top of the page to find them.
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