Source: RDM Team RWTH Aachen University
On November 6, 2025 the RDM network visited the Clavel Lab to learn more about their research workflows and explore how a data steward can better support their data management needs. The visit offered a hands-on look at the lab’s instrumentation and the data challenges that come with it. A key focus of the exchange was the use of the electronic lab notebook (ELN) eLabJournal.
Research Activities at the Clavel Lab
The human gut hosts a vast variety of bacteria that perform numerous vital functions and are central to our health. The Clavel Lab, part of the Institute of Medical Microbiology at University Hospital RWTH Aachen (UKA), investigates how gut bacteria inhabit different hosts and interact with one another. The research team extracts and analyzes the microbiome of humans, mice, pigs, and chickens, thereby contributing to comprehensive collections of publicly available bacterial strains that can serve as a foundation for experiments across various research initiatives.
A highlight of the lab is a globally unique anaerobic chamber equipped with integrated instruments for the continuous and fully automated isolation and analysis of gut bacteria that cannot survive exposure to oxygen.
Guided Lab-Tour
Dr. Nicole Treichel, a postdoctoral researcher at UKA, guided us through the lab and presented several instruments central to their work, including the MALDI, HPLC, and Isomic systems. We discussed the types of data each device produces, the formats involved, and how these files are currently stored and organized within the lab. The research group also shared insights into their discovery of novel bacteria and how sequence data is deposited in international archives such as the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA), the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), and the DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ).
Get-together and Exchange
After the lab tour, we had an open discussion between the researchers and the RDM visitors.
One of the topics was electronic lab notebooks: the lab is in the process of implementing eLabJournal, and we talked through how ELNs fit into their daily workflows and the challenges and opportunities they see in adopting them.
Throughout the discussion, both sides were candid about the obstacles researchers face; from handling diverse file types to keeping documentation consistent, as well as the support they need from RDM services. At the same time, the team was also eager to hear what RDM staff need from them to help streamline data handling. It was a productive two-way conversation aimed at building shared practices that make both research and RDM smoother for everyone.
Our visit highlighted not only the complexity of the lab’s data landscape but also the strong willingness on both sides to collaborate. We look forward to continuing this dialogue and supporting the Clavel Lab as they refine their data workflows.
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- Source: RDM Team RWTH Aachen University
Support by a Data Steward
The research group benefits from the support of a data steward in further developing its RDM processes. Catherine Gonzalez is funded as a Data Steward by the projects CRC 1382 Gut-Liver Axis and NFDI4Microbiota. Within the Clavel group she supports the ELN Task Force in setting up the ELN eLabJournal. Furthermore, she assists the researchers in using the RDM platform Coscine by automating metadata extraction and upload to Coscine, thus making it easier for researchers to safely store their data.
C. is part of the RDM networking at RWTH. The network brings together Data Stewards, the central RDM Team and researchers active or interested in RDM topics. It is open to all members of RWTH Aachen University who want to exchange on RDM practices, share knowledge, get feedback and inspiration, learn together, and find solutions.
Further Information
If you have any questions about ELN and RDM, please do not hesitate to contact us. The RDM team looks forward to hearing from you and will be happy to help!
Responsible for the content of this article is Ute Trautwein-Bruns.
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