What Is Chain of Custody?

In regulated life science labs, whether conducting clinical research or pharmaceutical development, chain of custody refers to the formal system that tracks every interaction with a sample.

Chain of custody documentation supports:

• Scientific reproducibility 
• Data integrity
• Legal defensibility
• Compliance with standards such as GxP, FDA 21 CFR Part 11, and ISO 17025 (learn more about lab compliance)

Without a reliable custody system, the trustworthiness of results, and even regulatory approval, can be jeopardized.

How Does Chain of Custody Work?

A robust digital chain of custody solution includes:

• Unique identifiers (e.g.,barcodes or QR codes) for every sample (see sample tracking glossary)
• Time-stamped logs for each handoff or movement
• User authentication to validate who accessed the sample
• Tamper-evident digital records that prevent unauthorized edits

These records are most effective when embedded in a laboratory sample management platform or digital lab notebook, offering real-time access and automated compliance.

Why Chain of Custody Matters

Maintaining a chain of custody is essential to:

• Preserve sample integrity and prevent contamination or mix-ups
• Ensure readiness for audits with a full custody history
• Strengthen scientific credibility by verifying sample authenticity
• Meet regulatory requirements with defensible records

Chain of custody is particularly critical in fields such as clinical trials, forensic science, environmental testing, and biopharma R&D, where mishandling can lead to serious consequences.

Cenevo’s Solutions for Chain of Custody

Cenevo offers two specialized platforms that integrate chain of custody workflows in to daily lab operations:

Mosaic Sample Management

Built for life science labs, CROs, biobanks, and agroscience, Mosaic provides end-to-end traceability through:

• Role-based access and personnel tracking
• Device-level integration and location mapping
• Sample-specific identifiers and transfer logs
• Centralized audit trails

Explore how Mosaic streamlines sample logistics.

Labguru ELN & LIMS

Labguru supports compliance and research reproducibility with:

• Smart inventory and freezer management
• Integrated experiment planning
• Digital signatures and time-stamped records
• AI-enabled audit readiness

Together, Labguru and Mosaic ensure your lab’s data, samples, and workflows are always connected, traceable, and compliant.

Secure Your Lab’s Chain of Custody

Looking to simplify compliance and eliminate risks?
Book a demo to see how Cenevo’s connected lab solutions, Labguru and Mosaic, can help you secure your chain of custody from intake to archive.