Overview

This BBSRC supported e-Science project aims to develop a distributed e-Support system for microarray data analysis and management across several campuses at Imperial College. The principal objectives are: To extend the facilities and expertise in the Imperial College Bioinformatics Support Service; The analysis of functional genomics data and its integration with data management and analysis tools, using Grid-enabled technologies.

Work Packages

The proposed system is divided into three components and their associated work packages.

• e-Science Related Tasks
• Portal infrastructure
• Distributed training and support
• Integration of remote resources
• Bioinformatics and support related tasks
• Design of an administrative interface
• Development of user interface including integration of selected microarray software
• Evaluation of an e-support portal system in a working environment from both a research and a support perspective
• Downstream Evaluation and Development
• Data Management Tasks
• Design of new interface for the MiMir data warehouse
• Integration of new locally developed software and methodologies
• Design and Implementation of structures for holding the intermediate stages of analysis
• History-tracking for analysis stages

The proposed infrastructure will support:

• Data transfer between specialised sites and data repositories
• Access to online expertise for researchers in data analysis and management from the Bioinformatics Support Service and Microarray Centre
• Fast-track access for biological researchers to new models and algorithms developed in house and externally e.g. statisticians
• Single point access to a range of multi-platform tools and packages for microarray analysis with seamless data flow via a range of data reformatting tools
• Fully automatic tracking of any analyses performed
• A functional system sufficiently robust and simple to use that it can be readily implemented and used by researchers

Current Status