Case Study

DistillerSR™ Enables University Researchers to Complete More Reviews Under Tighter Grant Timelines.

As an academic institution with a history of conducting agriculture and food science research, the University of Florida is influential towards helping policymakers and the general public make evidence-based decisions.

Jeanette Andrade is an Assistant Professor and Master of Science – Dietetic Internship (MS/DI) Program Director at University of Florida (UF) Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS). She uses DistillerSR for numerous research projects, including a large project consisting of over 60,000 references for the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) – a project Andrade says would not be possible without DistillerSR.

DistillerSR Works the Way Research Should for All Project Sizes

Prior to using DistillerSR, projects were often limited due to their size. “When I started looking at systematic review software, I tried a few other options at first, but I was always limited by how many references I was allowed to upload,” she said.

This limitation meant she needed to modify her research questions or change her review methods in order to work within the limits of other systematic review softwares. For example, only examining specific populations, etc. This caused unnecessary challenges and created extra work for her team.

DistillerSR can handle a higher volume of references and enables a configurable workflow for greater flexibility and capacity – working the way researchers work.

“The first big project I took on with DistillerSR was for the Florida Department of Citrus. The review started with more than 60,000 references and DistillerSR handled it just fine!” she said.

“If not for DistillerSR, I am not sure I would have been able to take on this project,” she said. “It makes everything more efficient and easier. Even with tasks such as quarantining duplicates, I know I can trust the software.”

Bending Timelines with DistillerSR’s Scalability

Like many academic institutions, much of Andrade’s research is funded by grants. This can often present a challenge especially if the work or available resources exceeds the given funding.

Adrade refers to often dealing with a “timeline bend” or needing to modify her processes when planning projects that rely on grants for funding.

“If I know I only have funding available for six months, I can rest a little easier because I know DistillerSR can ease the tension of getting it done fast,” she said.

DistillerSR Improves Accuracy for All Review Sizes

Andrade credits DistillerSR for being able to handle volumes of references. She not only trusts the data accuracy, but she also observes how her students are working in the software in real-time.

Additionally, the reporting feature is an aspect that allows her team to track the efficiency of a task.

“This is useful when reporting to stakeholders or other students to show how much time certain tasks are taking.”

With DistillerSR, Adrade’s team is able to take on bigger projects with more confidence. By improving the speed and accuracy within her systematic reviews, her team is able to work more efficiently, by maximizing their funding and providing the best possible evidence to their stakeholders.