Materials / Samples / Recipes

Cell lines / media / reagents / antibodies / strains: independent registry, reuse across experiments.

Create a material (3 paths)

Sidebar [+ New] → Material / Sample: dialog with two tabs:
- Preset (recommended): 19 common materials (HEK293 / DMEM / FBS / Anti-CD86 / PBS / etc.) one-click create with common attributes pre-filled (source / concentration / storage, etc.)
- Custom: just name + type + notes. 6 types (cell line / medium / reagent / strain / antibody / other)
Tell Vara: "Create an HEK293 cell line", AI pops an action card to confirm
Link from a sub-experiment: step detail bottom [+ Link material] dialog, pick an existing material

Medium multi-component recipe

A MEDIUM-type material's detail page has a [Recipe Components] section that replaces the generic calculator:

Edit unlimited reagent rows + amount (supports mL / % / L mixed units)
Mix N mL by recipe: enter the target volume, auto-compute each component
- Percentage items: target × the percentage (FBS 10% → 1 mL for a 10 mL target)
- mL items: scaled by original ratio into the remaining space (DMEM stock 500 mL → 8.9 mL for a 10 mL target)

Full example: DMEM high-glucose complete medium (DMEM 500 mL / FBS 10% / P-S 1%) for a 10 mL target → auto-computes DMEM 8.9 mL + FBS 1 mL + P-S 0.1 mL.

Operation log (passage / media change / prep)

The material detail's [Log operation] menu offers 3 actionTypes:

Prep medium (MEDIUM_PREP): batch label + volume + expiry
Passage (PASSAGE): split ratio (1:3 / 1:5) + notes, auto +1 currentPassage
Media change (MEDIA_CHANGE): volume mL + observations

Every entry shows on the material detail timeline, ordered by performedAt descending.

Material ↔ sub-experiment bi-directional link

Link from material detail [+ Link to sub-experiment], or from step detail [+ Link material]. Both sides see the link + can navigate. Each link can carry a usage note (e.g. "30 μL dome / 24-well plate").

Materials in step text: tap a name to see its card

On the sub-experiment page and the execution card, when step text mentions a material linked to that step, the name becomes a small tappable tag. Tapping it opens the same material card everywhere: it slides in from the right on a computer and up from the bottom on a phone. The card shows the name, type, lot / batch, vendor, catalog number and other basics, plus "Used in these sub-experiments", with a link to the material page at the bottom.

Only materials linked to the step count. Names are matched exactly (case-insensitive), with no AI guessing. English names must appear as a whole word, so PBS is not tagged inside PBST.
When the execution card says some reagents in the step are not in your materials, expand it and use Add to materials next to a reagent: the new-material dialog opens with the name filled in, and the new material is linked to the step right away.

Lot and amount saved when a run ends

When a run ends (finished or aborted), Vara saves the lot and amount of each linked material into the run record. The amount comes from, in order: the usage note on the link, a linked parameter whose name mentions the material, then the part of a substep's volume field that mentions it. If none of these exist it stays empty; nothing is guessed.

These values are marked As recorded and don't change when you edit your materials later. On the next run, expand "Last run" at the top of the execution area to see "Materials used in this run". It only records; stock is not deducted.