diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c947a57..3357cda 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -143,7 +143,8 @@ Run status is tracked in CouchDB with events including:
 - Run directories are named according to sequencer-specific ID formats (defined in run classes)
 - Final completion is indicated by the presence of a sequencer-specific final file (e.g., `CopyComplete.txt` for Illumina)
 - Remote storage is accessible via rsync over SSH
-- CouchDB is accessible and the database specified in the config exists and has a ddoc called `events` with a view called `current_status_per_runfolder` that emits a dictionary of all the statuses and their current state (true/false) 
+- CouchDB is accessible and the database specified in the config exists and has a ddoc called `events` with a view called `current_status_per_runfolder` that emits a dictionary of all the statuses and their current state (true/false)
+- CouchDB is accessible and the database `gs_configs` contains a document called `regex_patterns` containing the regexes used to identify different run types.
 - The flowcell ID is set to correspond to the ID that is scanned with a barcode scanner during sequencing setup in the lab
 
 ### Status Files
@@ -200,3 +201,4 @@ To add support for a new sequencer, add the following to dataflow_transfer:
 2. Import the new class in `dataflow_transfer/run_classes/__init__.py`
 3. Add a test fixture for the new run in `dataflow_transfer/tests/test_run_classes.py` and include it in the relevant tests
 4. Add a section for the sequencer in the config file
+5. Add a regular expression matching the run folder name of the sequencer in the CouchDB database `gs_configs`, in the document called `regex_patterns`.
diff --git a/dataflow_transfer/run_classes/element_runs.py b/dataflow_transfer/run_classes/element_runs.py
index 2b543e2..23ffe14 100644
--- a/dataflow_transfer/run_classes/element_runs.py
+++ b/dataflow_transfer/run_classes/element_runs.py
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 class ElementRun(Run):
     """Defines an Element sequencing run"""
 
+    run_family = "Element"
+
     def __init__(self, run_dir, configuration):
         super().__init__(run_dir, configuration)
         self.final_file = "RunUploaded.json"
@@ -18,11 +20,7 @@ class AVITIRun(ElementRun):
     run_type = "AVITI"
 
     def __init__(self, run_dir, configuration):
-        self.run_id_format = (
-            r"^\d{8}_AV\d{6}_(A|B)\d{10}$"  # 20251007_AV242106_A2507535225
-        )
         super().__init__(run_dir, configuration)
-        self.flowcell_id = self.run_id.split("_")[-1][1:]  # 2507535225
 
 
 # TODO: Add Teton run class
diff --git a/dataflow_transfer/run_classes/generic_runs.py b/dataflow_transfer/run_classes/generic_runs.py
index 14e4576..95c1b1a 100644
--- a/dataflow_transfer/run_classes/generic_runs.py
+++ b/dataflow_transfer/run_classes/generic_runs.py
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@
 class Run:
     """Defines a generic sequencing run"""
 
+    run_type = None
+    run_family = None
+
     def __init__(self, run_dir, configuration):
         self.run_dir = run_dir
         self.run_id = os.path.basename(run_dir)
@@ -33,6 +36,27 @@ def __init__(self, run_dir, configuration):
         )
         self.remote_destination = self.sequencer_config.get("remote_destination")
         self.db = StatusdbSession(self.configuration.get("statusdb"))
+        self.run_id_format = self._resolve_run_id_format()
+        self.flowcell_id = (
+            re.match(self.run_id_format, self.run_id).group("flowcell_id")
+            if self.run_id_format
+            else None
+        )
+
+    def _resolve_run_id_format(self):
+        """Resolve the run ID regex from central config."""
+        run_id_format = None
+        if self.run_family and self.run_type:
+            try:
+                run_id_format = self.db.get_regex_pattern(
+                    self.run_family, self.run_type
+                )
+            except Exception as exc:
+                logger.warning(
+                    f"Unable to load run_id_format for {self.run_type} from regex config: {exc}"
+                )
+
+        return run_id_format
 
     def confirm_run_type(self):
         """Compare run ID with expected format for the run type."""
@@ -159,10 +183,13 @@ def has_status(self, status_name):
 
     def update_statusdb(self, status, additional_info=None):
         """Update the statusdb document for this run with the given status."""
-        db_doc = (
-            self.db.get_db_doc(ddoc="lookup", view="runfolder_id", run_id=self.run_id)
-            or {}
+        doc_id = self.db.get_doc_id(
+            ddoc="lookup", view="runfolder_id", run_id=self.run_id
         )
+        if doc_id:
+            db_doc = self.db.get_document(db=self.db.db_name, doc_id=doc_id)
+        else:
+            db_doc = {}
 
         statuses_to_only_update_once = [
             "sequencing_started",
diff --git a/dataflow_transfer/run_classes/illumina_runs.py b/dataflow_transfer/run_classes/illumina_runs.py
index 12cfa11..47681a3 100644
--- a/dataflow_transfer/run_classes/illumina_runs.py
+++ b/dataflow_transfer/run_classes/illumina_runs.py
@@ -6,10 +6,11 @@
 class IlluminaRun(Run):
     """Defines an Illumina sequencing run"""
 
+    run_family = "Illumina"
+
     def __init__(self, run_dir, configuration):
         super().__init__(run_dir, configuration)
         self.final_file = "CopyComplete.txt"
-        self.flowcell_id = self.run_id.split("_")[-1]
 
 
 @register_run_class
@@ -19,11 +20,7 @@ class NovaSeqXPlusRun(IlluminaRun):
     run_type = "NovaSeqXPlus"
 
     def __init__(self, run_dir, configuration):
-        self.run_id_format = (
-            r"^\d{8}_[A-Z0-9]+_\d{4}_[A-Z0-9]+$"  # 20251010_LH00202_0284_B22CVHTLT1
-        )
         super().__init__(run_dir, configuration)
-        self.flowcell_id = self.run_id.split("_")[-1][1:]  # 22CVHTLT1
 
 
 @register_run_class
@@ -33,9 +30,6 @@ class NextSeqRun(IlluminaRun):
     run_type = "NextSeq"
 
     def __init__(self, run_dir, configuration):
-        self.run_id_format = (
-            r"^\d{6}_[A-Z0-9]+_\d{3}_[A-Z0-9]+$"  # 251015_VH00203_572_AAHFHCCM5
-        )
         super().__init__(run_dir, configuration)
 
 
@@ -46,9 +40,6 @@ class MiSeqRun(IlluminaRun):
     run_type = "MiSeq"
 
     def __init__(self, run_dir, configuration):
-        self.run_id_format = (
-            r"^\d{6}_[A-Z0-9]+_\d{4}_[A-Z0-9\-]+$"  # 251015_M01548_0646_000000000-M6D7K
-        )
         super().__init__(run_dir, configuration)
 
 
@@ -59,6 +50,4 @@ class MiSeqi100Run(IlluminaRun):
     run_type = "MiSeqi100"
 
     def __init__(self, run_dir, configuration):
-        self.run_id_format = r"^\d{8}_[A-Z0-9]+_\d{4}_[A-Z0-9]{10}-SC3$"  # 20260128_SH01140_0002_ASC2150561-SC3
         super().__init__(run_dir, configuration)
-        self.flowcell_id = self.run_id.split("_")[-1][1:]  # SC2150561-SC3
diff --git a/dataflow_transfer/run_classes/ont_runs.py b/dataflow_transfer/run_classes/ont_runs.py
index 243b685..53f0164 100644
--- a/dataflow_transfer/run_classes/ont_runs.py
+++ b/dataflow_transfer/run_classes/ont_runs.py
@@ -6,10 +6,11 @@
 class ONTRun(Run):
     """Defines a ONT sequencing run"""
 
+    run_family = "ONT"
+
     def __init__(self, run_dir, configuration):
         super().__init__(run_dir, configuration)
         self.final_file = "final_summary.txt"
-        self.flowcell_id = self.run_id.split("_")[-2]
 
 
 @register_run_class
@@ -19,7 +20,6 @@ class PromethIONRun(ONTRun):
     run_type = "PromethION"
 
     def __init__(self, run_dir, configuration):
-        self.run_id_format = r"^\d{8}_\d{4}_[A-Z0-9]{2}_P[A-Z0-9]+_[a-f0-9]{8}$"  # 20251015_1051_3B_PBG60686_0af3a2e0
         super().__init__(run_dir, configuration)
 
 
@@ -30,5 +30,4 @@ class MinIONRun(ONTRun):
     run_type = "MinION"
 
     def __init__(self, run_dir, configuration):
-        self.run_id_format = r"^\d{8}_\d{4}_MN[A-Z0-9]+_[A-Z0-9]+_[a-f0-9]{8}$"  # 20240229_1404_MN19414_ASH657_7a74bf8f
         super().__init__(run_dir, configuration)
diff --git a/dataflow_transfer/tests/test_run_classes.py b/dataflow_transfer/tests/test_run_classes.py
index 25a5d31..af5865d 100644
--- a/dataflow_transfer/tests/test_run_classes.py
+++ b/dataflow_transfer/tests/test_run_classes.py
@@ -140,6 +140,26 @@ def __init__(self, config):
         def get_db_doc(self, ddoc, view, run_id):
             return None
 
+        def get_regex_pattern(self, run_family, run_type):
+            if run_family == "Illumina":
+                if run_type == "NovaSeqXPlus":  # 20251010_LH00202_0284_B22CVHTLT1
+                    return r"^(?P<date>\d{8})_(?P<instrument>[A-Z0-9]+)_\d{4}_(?P<position>(A|B))(?P<flowcell_id>[A-Z0-9]+)$"
+                elif run_type == "NextSeq":  # 251015_VH00203_572_AAHFHCCM5
+                    return r"^(?P<date>\d{6})_(?P<instrument>[A-Z0-9]+)_\d{3}_(?P<flowcell_id>[A-Z0-9]+)$"
+                elif run_type == "MiSeq":  # 251015_M01548_0646_000000000-M6D7K
+                    return r"^(?P<date>\d{6})_(?P<instrument>[A-Z0-9]+)_\d{4}_(?P<flowcell_id>[A-Z0-9\-]+)$"
+                elif run_type == "MiSeqi100":  # 20260128_SH01140_0002_ASC2150561-SC3
+                    return r"^(?P<date>\d{8})_(?P<instrument>[A-Z0-9]+)_\d{4}_A(?P<flowcell_id>[A-Z0-9]{9}-SC3)$"
+            elif run_family == "ONT":
+                if run_type == "PromethION":  # 20251015_1051_3B_PBG60686_0af3a2e0
+                    return r"^(?P<date>\d{8})_(?P<time>\d{4})_(?P<position>[A-Z0-9]{2})_(?P<flowcell_id>P[A-Z0-9]+)_(?P<run_hash>[a-f0-9]{8})$"
+                elif run_type == "MinION":  # 20240229_1404_MN19414_ASH657_7a74bf8f
+                    return r"^(?P<date>\d{8})_(?P<time>\d{4})_(?P<position>MN[A-Z0-9]+)_(?P<flowcell_id>[A-Z0-9]+)_(?P<run_hash>[a-f0-9]{8})$"
+            elif run_family == "Element":
+                if run_type == "AVITI":  # 20251007_AV242106_A2507535225
+                    return r"^(?P<date>\d{8})_(?P<instrument>AV\d{6})_(?P<position>(A|B))(?P<flowcell_id>\d{10})$"
+            return None
+
         def update_db_doc(self, doc):
             pass
 
@@ -458,8 +478,12 @@ def test_update_statusdb(
     class MockDB:
         def __init__(self):
             self.updated_doc = None
+            self.db_name = "mock_db"
 
-        def get_db_doc(self, ddoc, view, run_id):
+        def get_doc_id(self, ddoc, view, run_id):
+            return "mock_doc_id"
+
+        def get_document(self, db, doc_id):
             return {"events": existing_statuses, "files": {}}
 
         def update_db_doc(self, doc):
diff --git a/dataflow_transfer/utils/statusdb.py b/dataflow_transfer/utils/statusdb.py
index ecfc1a4..bb1d55e 100644
--- a/dataflow_transfer/utils/statusdb.py
+++ b/dataflow_transfer/utils/statusdb.py
@@ -55,16 +55,31 @@ def _retry_call(self, func):
         # re-raise last exception for caller to handle
         raise last_exception
 
-    def get_db_doc(self, ddoc, view, run_id):
-        """Retrieve a document from the database via retried call."""
-        doc_id = self.get_doc_id(ddoc, view, run_id)
-        if doc_id:
-            return self._retry_call(
-                lambda: self.connection.get_document(
-                    db=self.db_name, doc_id=doc_id
-                ).get_result()
-            )
-        return None
+    def get_document(self, db, doc_id):
+        """Retrieve a document from any database via retried call."""
+        return self._retry_call(
+            lambda: self.connection.get_document(db=db, doc_id=doc_id).get_result()
+        )
+
+    def get_regex_pattern(
+        self,
+        run_family,
+        run_type,
+        regex_db="gs_configs",
+        regex_doc_id="regex_patterns",
+    ):
+        """Lookup the python regex pattern for a run type from the central regex config document."""
+        regex_doc = self.get_document(db=regex_db, doc_id=regex_doc_id)
+        if not regex_doc:
+            return None
+
+        flowcell_patterns = regex_doc.get("flowcell_patterns", {})
+        family_patterns = flowcell_patterns.get(run_family, {})
+        if not family_patterns:
+            return None
+
+        pattern = family_patterns.get(run_type)
+        return pattern
 
     def get_doc_id(self, ddoc, view, run_id):
         """Retrieve a document ID from the database via retried call."""
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index cde34ba..46788cf 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ ignore = [
 
 [project]
 name = "dataflow_transfer"
-version = "1.1.3"
+version = "1.1.4"
 description = "Script for transferring sequencing data from sequencers to storage"
 authors = [
     { name = "Sara Sjunnebo", email = "sara.sjunnebo@scilifelab.se" },