Open Competition 1 - Information Technology

Development of an Extensible, Homogeneous Infrastructure for Distributed Bioinformatics Resources

Sponsor: INCOGEN, Inc.

• Project Performance Period: 9/1/2001 - 8/31/2004
• Total project (est.): $3,179,408.00
• Requested ATP funds: $1,925,321.00

The vast amounts of genomic data available today provide unprecedented opportunities for discoveries in biotechnology, health care, and agriculture. However, integrating large volumes of complex data is extremely challenging, especially given the lack of interoperable analytical tools. INCOGEN, Inc., plans to make this task much easier by developing a modular, extensible software framework that will enable researchers without programming expertise to integrate existing data resources and tools accessible through the Internet and also develop additional tools for genome sequence analysis. The idea is to build a programming environment in which the user can create "pipelines" of analytical services, simply plugging in various data types and algorithms that will be compatible with existing tools. The application interface will offer dynamic configuration of services, and launch and monitor the execution of pipelines. Technical challenges include the development of a communications protocol to allow diverse components to interact and share data; processes and software tools for the creation and integration of new data types and services; and a visual user interface that can accommodate these advances. The completed software framework will be tested at public and private institutions and corporations. The proposed technology would not be developed without ATP funding; INCOGEN lacks sufficient internal funds and was unable to secure external private funding because of the extreme technical challenges. If successfully developed, the new technology will be easier to use, faster, and more functional and cost-effective than existing analytical methods and will change the ways in which biologists and bioinformaticists do research. In addition to accelerating scientific discoveries, ranging from new drug treatment approaches to disease-resistant crops, the software framework potentially will have applications in other sectors, such as manufacturing and engineering. Even if the project is not fully successful, the software will be of value in programmed process management.

For project information:

Maciek Sasinowski, (864) 654-8850
maciek@incogen.com

ATP Project Manager

Barbara Cuthill, (301) 975-3273
barbara.cuthill@nist.gov