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CellRepo User Manual

CellRepo is a Git‑style version‑tracking platform for engineered biology.

It is a GitLife BioTech (spin out from Newcastle University) bio‑digital platform, which combines molecular microbiology, bioinformatics, and cryptographic DNA barcoding to link physical strains to their digital records.

CellRepo helps scientists, labs, and organisations preserve context, history, and ownership as strains, constructs, and experiments evolve. You don’t need software‑engineering experience as CellRepo maps directly onto how experiments are already run at the bench.

With CellRepo you can answer questions like:

  • What does this asset look like now?
  • How did it get here?
  • Who modified it, and why?

By capturing meaningful checkpoints, CellRepo behaves like a searchable, version‑controlled lab notebook, built on principles that have transformed software engineering and now applied to synthetic biology. Use this manual to:

  • Get started — create your account, first project, repository, and commit
  • Understand concepts — projects, repositories, branches, commits, and templates in a biological context
  • Follow workflows — practical examples for tracking strains, protocols, and multi‑lab collaborations

Where to start

Recommended first steps for new users:

  1. Read Before you begin
  2. Sign up and Log in
  3. Explore the dashboard After logging in

  4. Check out some public demo repositories by searching for "demo" in search bar at top right of page

  5. Demo 1: Versioned BL21 demo (simple)

  6. Demo 2: Versioned MG1655 strains

  7. Demo 3: Versioned BL21 strain with barcode

  8. Create your first project → repository → commit

All pages are short and designed to be followed independently. Video walk‑throughs are included.

Getting help

Reach us at support@cellrepo.com