Michael Marron, Ph.D., DirectorMichael Marron, Ph.D., DirectorDivision of Biomedical TechnologyDivision of Biomedical Technology

National Center for Research ResourcesNational Center for Research ResourcesNational Institutes of HealthNational Institutes of Health

Department of Health and Human ServicesDepartment of Health and Human Services

Michael Marron, Ph.D., DirectorMichael Marron, Ph.D., DirectorDivision of Biomedical TechnologyDivision of Biomedical Technology

National Center for Research ResourcesNational Center for Research ResourcesNational Institutes of HealthNational Institutes of Health

Department of Health and Human ServicesDepartment of Health and Human Services

Biomedical Informatics Biomedical Informatics Research NetworkResearch Network

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BIRNBIRNBiomedical Informatics Biomedical Informatics

Research NetworkResearch Network

BIRNBIRNBiomedical Informatics Biomedical Informatics

Research NetworkResearch Network

A testbed for a biomedical knowledge infrastructureA testbed for a biomedical knowledge infrastructure

Federated database of neuroimaging dataFederated database of neuroimaging data

Fusion of diverse data sources (location; level of Fusion of diverse data sources (location; level of aggregation)aggregation)

Grid access to computational resourcesGrid access to computational resources

Datamining softwareDatamining software

Scalable and extensibleScalable and extensible

Driven by research needs-pull, not technology-Driven by research needs-pull, not technology-pushpush

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BIRNBIRN Infrastructure Infrastructure

• Establish a stable high performance network linking Establish a stable high performance network linking key Biotechnology Centers and General Clinical key Biotechnology Centers and General Clinical Research Centers using Internet2Research Centers using Internet2

• Establish distributed and linked data collections Establish distributed and linked data collections with partnering groupswith partnering groups

• Enable the use of "grid-based" computing resources Enable the use of "grid-based" computing resources for project specific data refinements and for project specific data refinements and comparisonscomparisons

• Enable data mining from multiple data collections Enable data mining from multiple data collections or databases on neuroimaging or databases on neuroimaging

• Build a stable software and hardware infrastructure Build a stable software and hardware infrastructure that will allow centers to coordinate efforts to that will allow centers to coordinate efforts to accumulate larger studies than can be carried out accumulate larger studies than can be carried out at one site.at one site.

BIRNBIRN SitesSites

Information IntegrationInformation Integration

protein localizationprotein localization

What is the cerebellar distribution of rat proteins with more than 70% homology with human NCS-1?

Integrated View

Mediator

morphometrymorphometry neurotransmissionneurotransmission

WebWeb

CaBP, ExpasyCaBP, Expasy

Wrapper WrapperWrapper Wrapper

Integrated View Definition

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MouseMouse BIRN BIRN • Animal Models of Disease /Multi Scale/Multi Method - MS Animal Models of Disease /Multi Scale/Multi Method - MS

Mouse and DAT KOM (a schizophrenic and otherwise Mouse and DAT KOM (a schizophrenic and otherwise interesting mouse animal model)interesting mouse animal model)

• Looking at different resolutions by combining data from Looking at different resolutions by combining data from multiple modalitiesmultiple modalities

• Duke, UCLA, UC San Diego, Cal TechDuke, UCLA, UC San Diego, Cal Tech

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MorphologyMorphology BIRN BIRN

• Neuroanatomical correlates of neuropsychiatric illness Neuroanatomical correlates of neuropsychiatric illness (unipolar depression, Alzheimer's disease, mild (unipolar depression, Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment)cognitive impairment)- Overcome obstacles to the use of neuroimaging data as quantitative outcome measures Overcome obstacles to the use of neuroimaging data as quantitative outcome measures

for clinical investigation including issues raised by longitudinal and multi-site studies.for clinical investigation including issues raised by longitudinal and multi-site studies.- Do structural differences contribute to specific symptoms such as memory dysfunction Do structural differences contribute to specific symptoms such as memory dysfunction

or depression independent of diagnosis?or depression independent of diagnosis?- Do specific structural differences distinguish specific diagnostic categories?Do specific structural differences distinguish specific diagnostic categories?

• Harvard (MGH and BWH), Duke, UCLA, UC San Diego, Harvard (MGH and BWH), Duke, UCLA, UC San Diego, Johns Hopkins, UC IrvineJohns Hopkins, UC Irvine

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FunctionalFunctional BIRN BIRN

• Characterizing the collection and integration of fMRI data Characterizing the collection and integration of fMRI data from multiple sitesfrom multiple sites

• Study schizophrenia through fMRI images collected from Study schizophrenia through fMRI images collected from patients around the country using standardized protocolspatients around the country using standardized protocols

• UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, Harvard (MGH and BWH), UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, Harvard (MGH and BWH), Stanford, Minnesota, Iowa, New Mexico, Duke, North Stanford, Minnesota, Iowa, New Mexico, Duke, North CarolinaCarolina

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BIRNBIRN Coordinating Center Coordinating Center

• UC San Diego UC San Diego • Best practices aggregatorBest practices aggregator• Technical development Technical development

centercenter• Center for training and Center for training and

experience exchangeexperience exchange• Expert-level technical Expert-level technical

supportsupport• High-level project High-level project

managementmanagement• Oversight bodies point of Oversight bodies point of

contactcontact

•Gigabit/10/100 Network Switch – Cisco4006

•Network Statistics System

•Gigabit Ethernet Network Probe

•Network Attached Storage – Gigabit Ether

• 1.0 to 8.0 TB

•Grid POP

• SRB, Globus

• Dual Processor Linux w/ 1GB memory

•DL 380 General purpose

• Specialized encryption

•UPS for Rack

Uniform Hardware for BIRN SitesUniform Hardware for BIRN Sites

N2400 NAS N2400 NAS 1.0 TB1.0 TB

Cisco 4006Cisco 4006

DL380 Grid POPDL380 Grid POPDL380DL380

DL380 - Network StatsDL380 - Network Stats

GigE Net ProbeGigE Net Probe

APC UPSAPC UPS

NCRRNCRR

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ChallengesChallengesLarge data setsLarge data sets

• ISCAR - information storage, curation, archiving, ISCAR - information storage, curation, archiving, and retrievaland retrieval

• Bandwidth issuesBandwidth issues• Quality control of data only analyzed by machineQuality control of data only analyzed by machine• Visual interfaces for complex data setsVisual interfaces for complex data sets

Fostering collaborationFostering collaboration• Reward structures in government and academic Reward structures in government and academic

institutionsinstitutions• Intellectual property issuesIntellectual property issues• Data integrity Data integrity • Resistance to collaborate with competitorsResistance to collaborate with competitors

Data sharing issues (ownership, privacy, authorship)Data sharing issues (ownership, privacy, authorship)

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More ChallengesMore Challenges

Federated DB /Knowledge EngineeringFederated DB /Knowledge Engineering• Dictionaries & Ontologies Dictionaries & Ontologies • Integrating different data typesIntegrating different data types• Accessing legacy systemsAccessing legacy systems• Distributed query computationsDistributed query computations

High-level management of projectsHigh-level management of projects• Overcome technical & institutional Overcome technical & institutional

barriersbarriers• Degree of centralization neededDegree of centralization needed• Role of standardsRole of standards• Project subdivision and optimizationProject subdivision and optimization

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BIRNBIRN Future Future• Addition of new sites in a rapid, well-defined, Addition of new sites in a rapid, well-defined,

affordable fashion affordable fashion • Grid-based National Clinical Research NetworkGrid-based National Clinical Research Network• Cross-species integration of dataCross-species integration of data• Characterization of Characterization of treatmenttreatment at multiple levels at multiple levels• Expand model to other areas of biomedical researchExpand model to other areas of biomedical research