Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy describes how qPCR Guru (the "Service") collects, uses, and handles information from users. The Service is operated by Amos Innovations, LLC ("we," "us," or "our"). By using the Service, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Service.

The Service is currently in beta. This policy may be updated as the Service evolves.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of information:

2.1 Account Information. When you register for an account, we collect:

• email address (used as your account identifier)
• password (stored as a bcrypt hash with a cost factor of 12; we never store your password in plain text and cannot recover it if forgotten)
• first name and last name
• job title
• organization type (e.g., academic, industry, hospital)
• organization name (optional)
• research area (optional)
• country (optional)

2.2 Uploaded qPCR Data. Files and data you provide for analysis, such as qPCR Cq/Ct values, sample identifiers, target names, well coordinates, amplification curves, melt curves, and experimental metadata. We do not retain this data after your analysis session ends (see Section 4).

2.3 Technical and Usage Information.

• IP address (used for rate limiting and abuse prevention; not stored long-term)
• browser type, operating system, and general usage patterns
• session tokens (HMAC-signed, stored in your browser's localStorage to keep you logged in)
• locally cached preferences and project history (stored in your browser's localStorage; not transmitted to our servers)

The Service is not intended to be a destination for personal or sensitive information beyond the account fields listed above. Uploaded experimental data may inadvertently contain such information depending on what you provide; you are responsible for ensuring uploaded data is appropriate for use with a research tool.

3. How We Use Information

We use the information collected for the following purposes:

• to authenticate your account and maintain your session
• to process your qPCR data and generate analysis outputs
• to enforce rate limits and prevent abuse
• to maintain, operate, and improve the Service
• to communicate with you about the Service (e.g., respond to support inquiries)
• to comply with legal obligations

We do not use your account information or uploaded data for advertising profiling, training machine learning models, or any purpose unrelated to providing the Service.

4. Data Storage and Retention

Account Information. Account data is retained for as long as your account remains active. If you wish to delete your account and associated data, please contact us at support@qpcrguru.com and we will process your request within 30 days.

Uploaded qPCR Data. Uploaded experimental data is processed ephemerally to generate analysis outputs and is not retained on our servers after processing is complete. We do not maintain backups, archives, or copies of your qPCR data.

Local Browser Storage. If you use the "Save Project" feature, your project state (wells, settings, results) is stored locally in your browser's localStorage on your device. This data is not transmitted to our servers and is not accessible from other devices or browsers. Clearing your browser data will delete locally saved projects.

Logs. Server logs (which may include IP addresses, request timestamps, and error information) are retained for a limited time for operational and security purposes.

Users should retain their own copies of all data uploaded to or generated by the Service.

5. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your data, including:

• passwords stored as bcrypt hashes with a cost factor of 12
• session tokens are HMAC-signed to prevent forgery
• all communication between your browser and our servers uses HTTPS encryption
• rate limiting on authentication and analysis endpoints to prevent abuse
• infrastructure provided by reputable hosting providers with industry-standard security practices

However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for keeping your account password confidential.

6. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: request deletion of your account and associated personal information
• Portability: request a copy of your data in a portable format
• Restriction: request that we restrict processing of your information
• Withdraw consent: withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@qpcrguru.com. We will respond within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests.

If you are an EU/UK resident under GDPR, or a California resident under the CCPA/CPRA, you may have additional rights under those laws. The rights listed above are intended to satisfy those requirements.

7. Data Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information or uploaded data with third parties. We may share information only in the following limited circumstances:

• with infrastructure providers (e.g., hosting, code repository services) strictly to operate the Service
• when required by law, court order, or valid legal process
• to protect the rights, property, or safety of qPCR Guru, our users, or others
• in connection with a business transfer (e.g., merger or acquisition), in which case we will notify users of any change in data handling

8. Third-Party Services

The Service relies on third-party infrastructure to operate, which may process limited data as necessary to provide functionality:

• web hosting and backend infrastructure providers
• code repository services for storing account credentials
• font and CDN services that may log basic request metadata when serving assets

These providers are bound by their own privacy practices. We select providers with reputable security and privacy standards.

9. International Data Transfers

The Service is hosted in the United States. If you access the Service from outside the United States, your information will be transferred to, processed, and stored in the United States. By using the Service, you consent to this transfer. United States data protection laws may differ from those of your country.

10. Advertising

The Service does not currently display third-party advertisements. We may, in the future, integrate with advertising networks such as Google AdSense to help offset operating costs and keep the Service free for researchers. If we do, this Privacy Policy will be updated to describe what data is collected by the advertising network, and we will provide reasonable notice. Any future ad networks may use cookies or similar technologies to deliver and measure ads. For information about how Google handles such data, see Google's Privacy & Terms.

11. Cookies and Local Storage

The Service uses your browser's localStorage to:

• store your authentication token (so you stay logged in)
• save user preferences and project history if you choose to use the "Save" feature

We do not currently use tracking cookies or third-party analytics cookies. If this changes (for example, if we add advertising or analytics in the future), this policy will be updated.

12. Children's Privacy

The Service is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact support@qpcrguru.com and we will take steps to delete it.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be reflected by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

14. Contact

For questions about this Privacy Policy or to exercise your rights, please contact us at:

support@qpcrguru.com

For privacy-related inquiries, please use the subject line "Privacy Request" so we can route your request appropriately.