Streamlining Sustainable Bioeconomy Research: CBQF’s Journey to Real-Time Resource Management

The Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina (CBQF) at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa focuses on sustainable bioeconomy research. They struggled with a messy, manual paperwork system to book high-value lab gear, causing missing records and scheduling delays. By adopting QReserve, CBQF replaced its physical booking sheets with a single digital system for the entire facility. Researchers can now plan work in real-time, and automatic usage tracking helps schedule maintenance before breakdowns.

The Organization

The Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina (CBQF) is the primary research unit of the Faculty of Biotechnology at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP) in Porto. Founded in 1990, it operates as a State Associated Laboratory dedicated to advancing a sustainable bioeconomy through innovation in food, environment, and health.

The Challenge: Experimental Bottlenecks and Manual Records

Before 2016, CBQF faced significant operational hurdles that hampered the pace of their scientific discovery. The center relied on manual processes and physical "sheets" to manage high-value laboratory equipment.

"We had various problems with equipment bookings," explains Eduardo, a researcher at CBQF. The manual system led to:

  • Disappearing records: Paper booking sheets would frequently go missing.
  • Scheduling conflicts: Frequent double bookings and unauthorized alterations to existing reservations.
  • Lack of visibility: Researchers had no way to check equipment status remotely, creating an "enormous experimental bottleneck" because work could not be planned in a timely manner.

The Solution: Granular Control and User-Friendly Design

In 2016, CBQF turned to QReserve to modernize their operations. When evaluating alternatives, QReserve stood out for its unique, granular approach to managing booking blocks and its superior user interface.

The modularity of the platform allowed the center to customize booking requirements based on specific equipment needs, ensuring that researchers weren't just booking a time slot, but were meeting the necessary status and use requirements of the hardware.

The Results: Thousands of Euros Saved

The impact of implementing QReserve was immediate and eventually scaled from a single research group to the entire research infrastructure.

Real-Time Agility

The biggest daily improvement has been the ability to program and adjust experimental timelines in almost real-time. By having a live view of equipment availability and status, researchers can pivot their schedules instantly based on actual lab conditions.

Data-Driven Maintenance

Beyond simple scheduling, CBQF utilizes QReserve’s tracking capabilities to power a preventive maintenance strategy. By monitoring actual usage hours, the team can schedule maintenance before breakdowns occur.


"For us, the one of the greatest impacts has been in equipment management and preventive maintenance. With QReserve we can effectively track usage hours and thus schedule maintenance before any break downs. This has saved us thousands of euros."

— Eduardo, Researcher, CBQF

Conclusion

By replacing "disappearing sheets" with a robust digital ecosystem, CBQF has eliminated the administrative friction that once slowed their research. For other institutions looking to optimize their output, Eduardoi’s advice is simple: "If you like to have your scientific life simplified, then get QReserve".