This training video bridges the gap between theoretical Research Data Management (RDM) principles and daily laboratory practice. While the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) outline modern data expectations, traditional paper notebooks fail to provide the searchability, automated backup, provenance, and data linkage demanded by modern science. This module introduces the core digital infrastructure designed to solve this reproducibility bottleneck: Electronic Laboratory Notebooks (ELNs) and Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS).

The tutorial details how an ELN captures what you did scientifically (protocols, observations, raw datasets) while a LIMS manages what you have operationally (sample genealogies, reagent lots, instrument maintenance, freezer locations). It highlights openBIS—an open-source platform developed by ETH Zurich since 2007—which natively integrates both functionalities into a single, unified, server-based environment without vendor lock-in.

Key capabilities and workflows demonstrated include:

• Interconnected Experiment Documentation: Linking live inventory records, specific protocol versions, raw analytical files, and rich-text observations backed by an immutable, timestamped audit trail.

• Sample & Inventory Management: Tracking hierarchical parent–child relationships (e.g., cell line passages or material batch cuts), storage metadata, equipment calibration records, and rapid sample retrieval via barcode/QR code integration.

• Scalable, FAIR Data Infrastructure: Managing datasets from gigabytes to petabytes using BigDataLink, domain-specific metadata schemas, programmatic automation via the pybis Python API, and Jupyter notebook workflows.

• Domain-Specific Case Studies: Practical applications across materials science (furnace heat-treatment and SEM imaging), cell biology (flow cytometry, cell line provenance, and regulatory compliance), and climate research (multi-station sensor networks and long-term time-series analysis).

• Collaboration & Long-Term Preservation: Role-based access governance, tamper-proof version history, and direct dataset publishing to public repositories such as Zenodo with persistent DOIs.

This training resource is tailored for researchers, laboratory managers, and data stewards looking to implement robust, reproducible, and compliant scientific data workflows.

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• The pictures have been generated using DeepAgent
• The voice has been provided by Elevenlabs
• The video was produced by using HeyGen