NUcore at 10: A Decade of Experience Developing a Core Facilities Management Application

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Research Administration
• Software Engineering

Background:

• Managing a portfolio of core facilities requires effective software solutions.
• Commercial software is available, but custom platforms offer institutions greater control and integration capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development, implementation, and decade-long results of a custom software platform, NUcore, at Northwestern University.
• To highlight NUcore's features, benefits, and impact on core facility management.

Main Methods:

• Reorganization of the core facilities program starting in 2008.
• Development and adoption of a custom software platform, NUcore, with a focus on integration and user experience.
• Management of NUcore as an open-source project since its full enrollment in 2019.

Main Results:

• NUcore, implemented in 2011 and fully enrolled by 2019, provides a stable, secure, and intuitive interface.
• The platform seamlessly integrates with the university financial system, ensuring compliance and offering robust reporting.
• NUcore supports nearly 50% of sponsored award dollars at NU, with a transaction cost of $0.01 per dollar, serving over 4000 active users annually.

Conclusions:

• NUcore has been a substantial success for Northwestern University, demonstrating the viability of custom, open-source software for core facility management.
• The open-source nature of NUcore allows for cost-free adoption by other academic organizations, with five currently utilizing the codebase.
• Continuous development of NUcore ensures its future adaptability to evolving university and core facility needs.