Many microbiome activities, in different studies and departments take place and their data are stored in different local databases. To perform a quantitative analysis and leverage ideas for large scale research (proposals), the data has to be combined. For this however, a comprehensive structured way of storing data is necessary. To realize this however an IT-infrastructure has to be created which can be placed on top (see figure) of the existing databases.
INFRASTRUCTURE
An IT-infrastructure is needed to bind together the different micro-biome activities.
ANNOTATION
The appropriate annotation of the data is crucial to enable meaningful data integration it not only enables vertical data integration (within study) but also horizontal (i.e. over studies) data integration.
META INFORMATION
When storing data of multiple studies the key values and meta-information fields have to be aligned and adhere the same definition standards.
iRODS (Integrated Rule-Oriented Data System) is an infrastructure in which the meta-data is stored separately from the actual data.
Scientists involved in this project
Stanley Brul
Age Smilde
Frans van der Kloet
Marc Galland
Fred White
Johannes de Groeve
Funded by
University of Amsterdam Research Priority Area Systems Biology
In collaboration with
Gerard Muyzer
Harro Bouwmeester
Meike Wortel
Academisch Centrum Tandheelkunde Amsterdam (ACTA)