Facility Core 5: Bioinformatics

University Of Arizona, Tucson AZ

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Two major advances have recently taken place in biological research that underscore the need for a[unreadable] Bioinformatics Facility Core (BFC) in the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center (SWEHSC). One[unreadable] is the availability of very large amounts of sequence data from various genome projects. The second is the[unreadable] collection of very large biological data sets such as (i) gene and tissue microarray data for testing gene and[unreadable] protein expression profiles, (ii) sequence, structural and molecular interaction data from the analysis of proteins[unreadable] and protein complexes, and (iii) the acquisition of data on sequence polymorphisms (SNPs) that influence[unreadable] disease, drug sensitivities and other biological properties of cells and tissues. To use these data effectively,[unreadable] investigators need to store, share and interpret these data sets, and assistance with (a) the development of local[unreadable] computer tools for data storage and analysis, (b) accessing remote databases and information on the human and[unreadable] mouse genomes and proteins, (c) data analysis and modeling and (d) suitable experimental designs for large[unreadable] data sets e.g. cDNA spotted microarrays for gene expression measurements. The overall objectives of the BFC[unreadable] are to meet the collective needs of SWEHSC researchers, students, and laboratory staff with computational[unreadable] support for management, analysis, display and integration of these genomic and proteomics data. These[unreadable] objectives will be achieved through the following Specific Aims:[unreadable] 1. Design or use existing data models for informatics support of proteomics and genomics data; use these[unreadable] models to develop relational databases and XML formats for storing and the sharing all of the mass[unreadable] spectrometry data generated by the Proteomics Facility Core (PFC) and genomics data generated by the[unreadable] Genomics Facility Core (GFC); integrate the proteomics and genomics data, and provide straightforward[unreadable] web access to these data and data analysis tools to SWEHSC investigators.[unreadable] 2. Advance the analysis of SEQUEST searches and results of cDNA microarray experiments by providing[unreadable] more detailed and specific information about the peptides and genes under investigation, and the[unreadable] affected metabolic pathways and regulatory systems.[unreadable] 3. Provide tools for dynamic queries/data mining to discover data relationships and patterns hi the[unreadable] Proteomics and Genomics data sets. These search tools will provide (i) new molecular markers for[unreadable] detection of disease and of environmental responses, (ii) a basis for developing new hypotheses, and[unreadable] (iii) ways to advance the research goals of SWEHSC researchers.