Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) Biomedical Informatics Shared Resource

Cancer research requires management and synthesis of information from diverse resources and data stores, including clinical data, such as patient demographics and diagnosis information, molecular data, such as RT-PCR and microarray data, and image data, such as radiology and digitized microscopy images. In addition, the management of clinical and research protocols is key to improved trials and safer and faster delivery of outcomes to patients. OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center projects and shared resources generate a wealth of molecular, cellular, clinical, and imaging data. With the use of state-of-the-art data acquisition and analysis instruments, the volume and types of data are rapidly increasing. Effectively synthesized and analyzed, these data can significantly improve both basic and clinical cancer research. However, the volume, diversity, and complexity of the data require management of a variety of databases and data types.

The Biomedical Informatics Shared Resource (BISR) is a developmental shared resource, established to address the increasing informatics needs of the OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center funded research projects and shared resources. Its goals are to provide OSUCCC members with biomedical information management expertise, software development and deployment support, and consulting for their informatics needs as well as to provide support for coordinated studies and integration with national efforts, e.g., the NCI cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIG^TM) program.

Core services provided by BISR:

1. Expertise in all phases of application development
   • Requirements analysis, design and implementation, deployment, and integration with other systems.
2. Database design and implementation for data captured in basic and translational research
3. User interface development
   • Graphical user interfaces for data entry, data access, and report generation.
4. End-to-end Application Development
   • User interfaces, databases, and coordination of application workflow
5. System integration
   • Interfaces between applications, coordinated access to multiple systems
6. Software Consulting
   • Requirements analysis
   • System evaluation
   • Deployment and use of biomedical informatics and database software
7. Bioinformatics Consulting and Services
   • Bioinformatics analysis methods and software
8. caBIG^TM compatible database and application development

Benefits of using the BISR:

1. The BISR offers expertise in all phases of application and database development (requirements analysis, design and implementation, deployment, and integration with other systems) to address the informatics needs of OSUCCC research projects and shared resources.

2. The BISR offers expertise in bioinformatics analysis methods and software systems to address the bioinformatics needs of OSUCCC research projects.

3. Efficient synthesis, management, and analysis of information is a critical component in cancer research. The BISR services can facilitate more timely and effective use of information captured and referenced in research projects.

The BISR is composed of faculty, system analysts, programmers, and database application developers from the Department of Biomedical Informatics (BMI), the OSU Medical Center, and the Division of Human Cancer Genetics. The development and operational core of the BISR is housed in the Biomedical Informatics Department and the Biomedical Research Tower. It is developed in complete coordination with the OSUCCC leadership.

Key Personnel:

For more information about the services and fees, please contact:

• Tahsin Kurc
• Biomedical Informatics Department
• 3015 Graves Hall
• Phone: 614-292-6568
• Email: kurc@bmi.osu.edu

Project Researchers

Joel Saltz, M.D., Ph.D. (Director)
Tahsin Kurc, Ph.D. (Assistant Director)
Jeffrey Parvin, M.D, Ph.D. (Systems Biology Director)
Kun Huang, Ph.D. (Bioinformatics Lead)
Terry Camerlengo (Developer)
David Ervin (Developer)

Project Publications