AMDeC Launches Two Significant Upgrades to AMDeC F.I.R.S.T. that Enable More Targeted Searches and Direct Comparison of Core Laboratory Service Offerings

NEW YORK, Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- AMDeC, the Academy for Medical Development and Collaboration, announced that two significant upgrades to AMDeC F.I.R.S.T. (Facilities Instrumentation Resources Services Technologies) are operational today that enable more targeted searches and direct comparisons between Core services or instruments. AMDeC F.I.R.S.T. is the New York region's only real-time, online registry of biomedical research technology and resources, which creates a "virtual laboratory" that can be accessed by each of the preeminent biomedical research institutions that are Members of the AMDeC consortium. The upgrades include a navigation tool, The Concierge, and a comparison tool.

"These upgrades address our Member researchers' growing need to share costly scientific resources and services, given ever-shrinking research budgets," said Maria Mitchell, Ph.D., president and CEO of AMDeC. "By facilitating the identification of resources critical to life science research today, AMDeC F.I.R.S.T. is furthering our mission of encouraging collaboration and creating efficiencies."

Upgrades Allow Researchers to Differentiate One from Many

With more than 1,000 Core facilities, services and instruments now listed on AMDeC F.I.R.S.T., The Concierge enables users to find the specific services and resources required more quickly and efficiently, thereby reducing browsing time. The Concierge directs users to resources through a series of guided questions including scientific category, location and specific service type. 

After the resource of interest is identified, the user can obtain side-by-side comparisons for up to five similar Core resources (services or instruments). AMDeC F.I.R.S.T. has added valuable layers of detail to each resource entry, specifically differentiating factors that matter to researchers. These include answers to such questions as: "Is experimental consultation available as part of this service?" and "Is scheduling of this instrument performed on line or via email?" This information allows researchers to quickly determine whether that service or instrument meets their needs.  

New Vendor Partner Information also Available

In addition to The Concierge and the comparison tool, AMDeC Members can now view preferred pricing options for several new Vendor Partners, as well as all existing Vendor Partners, on AMDeC F.I.R.S.T. New Vendor Partners include Access Staffing, Acumenta, QIAGEN, strategicplanningMD, and Xiacon. Existing Vendor Partners include BioStorage Technologies, iLab Solutions, NuGEN Technologies, PerkinElmer, and Sigma-Aldrich.

About AMDeC's Vendor Partnership Program

The Vendor Partnership Program secures preferred vendor pricing agreements for all AMDeC Members on a broad range of products and services that are critical to life sciences research today. Benefits include consortium-wide discounts on products and services, pre-commercial access to cutting-edge instrumentation, educational seminars on new technology, and closer working relationships between investigators and the commercial sector. 

Click here to learn about AMDeC F.I.R.S.T.

About AMDeC, LLC 

AMDeC, LLC, is a consortium of preeminent academic medical research institutions that promotes collaborative research relationships between the academic biomedical research community and the life science industry. Since its founding in 1997, AMDeC has led the way in team science, resource-sharing efforts and member services focused on cost savings and technology access and private sector participation with academia. AMDeC creates programs and services, such as AMDeC F.I.R.S.T., the Vendor Partnership Programs and the Technology Access Program, to facilitate collaboration and efficient use of resources, with the goal of expediting discovery.  For more information please visit our website at www.amdecllc.com or contact [email protected].

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SOURCE AMDeC