Cloud Labs API

Litmus integrates with automated cloud laboratories to execute experiments without manual intervention. Currently supported providers are Enko Cloud Lab (ECL) and Strateos.

List Providers

GET /cloud-labs/providers

List available cloud lab providers and their capabilities.

Response

{
  "providers": [
    {
      "id": "ecl",
      "name": "Enko Cloud Lab",
      "protocol_format": "sll",
      "supported_experiment_types": [
        "CELL_VIABILITY_IC50",
        "MIC_MBC_ASSAY",
        "QPCR_EXPRESSION"
      ],
      "status": "available"
    },
    {
      "id": "strateos",
      "name": "Strateos",
      "protocol_format": "autoprotocol",
      "supported_experiment_types": [
        "CELL_VIABILITY_IC50",
        "MIC_MBC_ASSAY"
      ],
      "status": "available"
    }
  ]
}

Get Provider Details

GET /cloud-labs/providers/{provider_id}

Get detailed information about a specific cloud lab provider.

Response

{
  "id": "ecl",
  "name": "Enko Cloud Lab",
  "description": "Automated cloud laboratory using Symbolic Lab Language",
  "protocol_format": "sll",
  "supported_experiment_types": [
    "CELL_VIABILITY_IC50",
    "MIC_MBC_ASSAY",
    "QPCR_EXPRESSION"
  ],
  "capabilities": {
    "cell_lines": ["HeLa", "HEK293", "A549"],
    "plate_formats": ["96-well", "384-well"],
    "detection_methods": ["absorbance", "fluorescence", "luminescence"]
  },
  "pricing": {
    "base_cost_usd": 150,
    "per_sample_usd": 5
  },
  "turnaround_days": {
    "min": 3,
    "max": 7
  },
  "status": "available"
}

Get Supported Experiment Types

GET /cloud-labs/supported-types

Get experiment types supported by cloud lab translation.

Response

{
  "supported_types": [
    {
      "experiment_type": "CELL_VIABILITY_IC50",
      "providers": ["ecl", "strateos"],
      "description": "Cell viability and IC50 determination"
    },
    {
      "experiment_type": "MIC_MBC_ASSAY",
      "providers": ["ecl", "strateos"],
      "description": "Minimum inhibitory/bactericidal concentration"
    },
    {
      "experiment_type": "QPCR_EXPRESSION",
      "providers": ["ecl"],
      "description": "Gene expression analysis via qPCR"
    }
  ]
}

Interpret Experiment

POST /cloud-labs/interpret

Use LLM to interpret an experiment intake and extract structured parameters for cloud lab translation.

Request Body

{
  "intake": {
    "experiment_type": "MIC_MBC_ASSAY",
    "hypothesis": {
      "statement": "Compound X inhibits E. coli growth"
    },
    "mic_mbc_assay": {
      "target_organisms": ["Escherichia coli"],
      "test_compounds": [
        {"name": "Compound X", "concentrations_ug_ml": [0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32]}
      ]
    }
  },
  "provider_id": "ecl"
}

Response

{
  "interpretation": {
    "experiment_type": "MIC_MBC_ASSAY",
    "parameters": {
      "organisms": [
        {"name": "Escherichia coli", "strain": "ATCC 25922"}
      ],
      "compounds": [
        {
          "name": "Compound X",
          "concentrations": [0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32],
          "unit": "ug/ml"
        }
      ],
      "replicates": 3,
      "incubation_hours": 18,
      "detection_method": "absorbance_600nm"
    },
    "confidence": 0.95,
    "notes": "Standard CLSI broth microdilution protocol"
  }
}

Translate to Protocol

POST /cloud-labs/translate

Translate an experiment intake to a cloud lab protocol format.

Request Body

{
  "intake": {
    "experiment_type": "MIC_MBC_ASSAY",
    "mic_mbc_assay": {
      "target_organisms": ["Escherichia coli"],
      "test_compounds": [
        {"name": "Compound X", "concentrations_ug_ml": [0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32]}
      ]
    }
  },
  "provider_id": "ecl"
}

Response (ECL - SLL Format)

{
  "provider_id": "ecl",
  "protocol_format": "sll",
  "protocol": {
    "name": "MIC Assay - Compound X",
    "steps": [
      {
        "operation": "dispense",
        "source": "media_reservoir",
        "destination": "assay_plate",
        "volume": "100uL"
      },
      {
        "operation": "serial_dilution",
        "compound": "Compound X",
        "start_concentration": "32ug/mL",
        "dilution_factor": 2,
        "steps": 7
      }
    ]
  },
  "estimated_cost_usd": 250,
  "estimated_turnaround_days": 5
}

Response (Strateos - Autoprotocol Format)

{
  "provider_id": "strateos",
  "protocol_format": "autoprotocol",
  "protocol": {
    "refs": {
      "assay_plate": {
        "new": "96-pcr",
        "store": {"where": "cold_4"}
      }
    },
    "instructions": [
      {
        "op": "dispense",
        "object": "assay_plate",
        "reagent": "lb_broth",
        "columns": [{"column": 0, "volume": "100:microliter"}]
      }
    ]
  },
  "estimated_cost_usd": 275,
  "estimated_turnaround_days": 4
}

Validate for Cloud Lab

POST /cloud-labs/validate

Validate that an intake can be translated for a specific cloud lab provider.

Request Body

{
  "intake": {
    "experiment_type": "MIC_MBC_ASSAY",
    "mic_mbc_assay": {...}
  },
  "provider_id": "ecl"
}

Response

{
  "valid": true,
  "provider_id": "ecl",
  "warnings": [
    "Compound concentrations will be rounded to available stock dilutions"
  ],
  "estimated_cost_usd": 250,
  "estimated_turnaround_days": 5
}

Response (Invalid)

{
  "valid": false,
  "provider_id": "ecl",
  "errors": [
    {
      "field": "mic_mbc_assay.target_organisms",
      "message": "Organism 'Custom strain XYZ' not available at this provider"
    }
  ]
}

Translate Experiment

POST /cloud-labs/experiments/{experiment_id}/translate

Translate an existing experiment to a cloud lab protocol.

Request Body

{
  "provider_id": "ecl"
}

Response

Same as POST /cloud-labs/translate, plus creates a CloudLabSubmission record.

List Submissions

GET /cloud-labs/submissions

List cloud lab submissions for your experiments.

Query Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
`experiment_id`	string	Filter by experiment
`provider_id`	string	Filter by provider
`status`	string	Filter by status
`limit`	integer	Results per page
`offset`	integer	Pagination offset

Response

{
  "submissions": [
    {
      "id": "sub_abc123",
      "experiment_id": "exp_xyz789",
      "provider_id": "ecl",
      "provider_submission_id": "ecl_run_456",
      "status": "running",
      "created_at": "2026-01-27T10:00:00Z",
      "started_at": "2026-01-27T10:05:00Z"
    }
  ],
  "total": 5,
  "limit": 20,
  "offset": 0
}

Get Submission Details

GET /cloud-labs/submissions/{submission_id}

Get detailed status and results of a cloud lab submission.

Response

{
  "id": "sub_abc123",
  "experiment_id": "exp_xyz789",
  "provider_id": "ecl",
  "provider_submission_id": "ecl_run_456",
  "protocol_format": "sll",
  "translated_protocol": {...},
  "status": "completed",
  "results": {
    "mic_values": {
      "Compound X": {
        "Escherichia coli": "4 ug/mL"
      }
    },
    "raw_data_url": "https://..."
  },
  "created_at": "2026-01-27T10:00:00Z",
  "completed_at": "2026-01-27T12:00:00Z"
}

Submission Status

Status	Description
`pending`	Submission created, not yet sent
`submitted`	Sent to cloud lab
`queued`	Queued at cloud lab
`running`	Experiment in progress
`completed`	Results available
`failed`	Execution failed
`cancelled`	Submission cancelled

Protocol Formats

SLL (Symbolic Lab Language)

Used by Enko Cloud Lab. A declarative format describing lab operations as steps:

{
  "steps": [
    {"operation": "dispense", "source": "...", "destination": "...", "volume": "100uL"},
    {"operation": "incubate", "temperature": "37C", "duration": "18h"}
  ]
}

Autoprotocol

Used by Strateos. A JSON-based protocol format with refs and instructions:

{
  "refs": {"plate": {"new": "96-pcr"}},
  "instructions": [
    {"op": "dispense", "object": "plate", "reagent": "media", "volume": "100:microliter"}
  ]
}

Workflow Example

import requests
 
API_URL = "https://api.litmus.science"
headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_TOKEN"}
 
# 1. Check provider capabilities
providers = requests.get(f"{API_URL}/cloud-labs/providers", headers=headers).json()
 
# 2. Validate intake for provider
validation = requests.post(
    f"{API_URL}/cloud-labs/validate",
    json={"intake": intake, "provider_id": "ecl"},
    headers=headers
).json()
 
if not validation["valid"]:
    print("Validation errors:", validation["errors"])
    exit(1)
 
# 3. Translate to protocol
translation = requests.post(
    f"{API_URL}/cloud-labs/translate",
    json={"intake": intake, "provider_id": "ecl"},
    headers=headers
).json()
 
print(f"Estimated cost: ${translation['estimated_cost_usd']}")
print(f"Turnaround: {translation['estimated_turnaround_days']} days")
 
# 4. Submit experiment and translate
experiment = requests.post(
    f"{API_URL}/experiments",
    json=intake,
    headers=headers
).json()
 
submission = requests.post(
    f"{API_URL}/cloud-labs/experiments/{experiment['experiment_id']}/translate",
    json={"provider_id": "ecl"},
    headers=headers
).json()

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