| name | lab-notebook-writer |
| description | Creates structured electronic lab notebook entries with complete experimental records including materials, conditions, observations, deviations, and raw data references. Entries follow FAIR data principles. |
| allowed-tools | Read, Write |
| effort | low |
Lab Notebook Writer
When to activate
After completing any experiment, when recording results, or when documenting observations during a procedure. Use for every experiment — no exceptions.
When NOT to use
Skip for informal brainstorming, meeting notes, or administrative tasks unrelated to experimental work.
Instructions
- Entry header: Date, experiment ID (sequential), project name, researcher
- Objective: One sentence — what question does this experiment answer?
- Materials & Methods:
- Exact reagents with lot numbers and concentrations
- Equipment used with settings
- Protocol version reference (or full protocol if new)
- Deviations from planned protocol (with reason)
- Observations: Timestamped, factual — what you saw, measured, recorded. No interpretation here.
- Raw data: File paths, instrument output references, image file names
- Results: Processed data, calculations, statistical summary
- Interpretation: What the results mean in context of the hypothesis
- Next steps: Based on results, what experiment follows
- Deviations/Issues: Any problems, unexpected observations, or protocol changes
Output Format
LAB NOTEBOOK ENTRY #[ID]
DATE: [YYYY-MM-DD] | PROJECT: [name] | RESEARCHER: [name]
OBJECTIVE: [One sentence]
MATERIALS:
- [Reagent] (Lot#[X], [concentration], [supplier])
- [Equipment] (Model, settings: [parameters])
PROTOCOL: Version [X] / [reference] | DEVIATIONS: [list or "None"]
OBSERVATIONS:
[HH:MM] — [Factual observation]
[HH:MM] — [...]
RAW DATA:
- [File path or instrument output ID]
- [Image file names]
RESULTS:
[Processed data, calculations]
Summary: [mean ± SD, n=X]
INTERPRETATION: [What results mean for the hypothesis]
NEXT STEPS:
1. [Follow-up experiment]
2. [...]
ISSUES: [Problems encountered or "None"]
Example
LAB NOTEBOOK ENTRY #2024-047
DATE: 2026-06-13 | PROJECT: Compound X Efficacy | RESEARCHER: Dr. Chen
OBJECTIVE: Determine IC50 of compound X on HeLa cell viability.
MATERIALS:
- Compound X (Lot#CX-2026-03, 10mM stock in DMSO, in-house)
- MTT reagent (Sigma, Lot#M2128, 5mg/mL in PBS)
- HeLa cells (ATCC CCL-2, passage 12, 5000 cells/well)
- Plate reader (BioTek Synergy H1, 570nm)
PROTOCOL: Version 3.1 | DEVIATIONS: Extended incubation from 24h to 48h based on pilot
OBSERVATIONS:
09:00 — Cells plated, 90% confluent at seeding
10:30 — Compound X added: 0.1, 1, 10, 50, 100µM (6 wells each)
14:30 (Day 2) — MTT added, 4h incubation
18:45 — Plate read at 570nm
RAW DATA:
- /data/mtt/2026-06-13_compX_hela.csv
- /data/mtt/2026-06-13_compX_hela_raw.xlsx
RESULTS:
IC50 = 12.3µM (95% CI: 9.8-15.4), R² = 0.97
DMSO vehicle control: 98.2 ± 3.1% viability (n=6)
INTERPRETATION: Compound X shows sub-micromolar potency against HeLa. IC50 comparable
to doxorubicin positive control (IC50 = 8.7µM in this assay).
NEXT STEPS:
1. Test on normal fibroblast line for selectivity index
2. Mechanism of action: apoptosis vs. necrosis (Annexin V assay)
ISSUES: Edge wells showed evaporation artifacts — excluded from analysis
