CAREER: Exploration of Dynamic Sequences in Scientific Databases

Ohio State University, The, Columbus OH

Investigators

Abstract

Scientific data repositories increasingly involve large amounts of images and streams of empirical measurements generated by a diverse set of data sources. The goal of this project is to develop online structures and algorithms to dynamically maintain and analyze data sequences for scientific discovery and monitoring purposes. The implementation focuses on specific applications from physical and biological sciences that generate vast amounts of multi-dimensional data sequences. For scientific discoveries, an iterative querying framework is developed for modeling of the sequences of observations. The framework optimally utilizes access structures to execute queries ranging from a simple max aggregate to complex scientific queries. Interactive tools are implemented where researchers are able to incorporate domain specific knowledge into the search process. For real-time monitoring, one-pass summaries that can be updated in constant-time are developed. The structures are designed to be self-adaptive with respect to the workload changes and to handle heterogeneous and incomplete information. The project involves collaborations with domain experts in focus areas and is expected to advance the state-of-the-art knowledge in the application domains. For example, the gene expression analysis tools implemented in this project have already enhanced the ability of the collaborative researchers in their studies of Haemophilus Influenzae (first described in 1892 by Dr. Richard Pfeiffer during an influenza pandemic) in order to understand it role in a wide range of clinical diseases, so that effective vaccines can be developed. This research project is integrated with education through significant educational and outreach activities. The developed toolkits, findings, and methods of the project will be communicated in a broader context and to an expanded audience through the project website (http://www.cse.ohio-state.edu/~hakan/Career.html).