21st century medicine requires data-driven decisions. With scientists and clinicians generating data in unprecedented amounts, health professionals need new and better ways to make meaningful use of that information. The Department of Biomedical Informatics (BMI), led by Joel Saltz, MD, PhD, plays a critical role in initiatives to translate, integrate, share and analyze information that will improve medical diagnosis, treatment and patient outcomes.
Biomedical Informatics highlights of 2007
- The Laboratory for Translational Research Computing (LTRC), led by Philip Payne, PhD, became a major contributor to the translational research efforts of numerous OSUMC investigators and their external collaborators. Members of the LTRC were recognized for their outstanding research, expertise and contributions to the Biomedical Informatics community, including the selection of Payne to co-chair the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) Clinical Research Informatics Steering Task Force. In addition, multiple LTRC members were invited to present their work at national meetings such as those sponsored by the AMIA and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
- The laboratory of Jeffrey Parvin, MD, PhD, developed biochemical assays for the function of the breast cancer tumorsuppressor gene known as BRCA1, found that its enzymatic
activity regulated the synthesis of mRNA, discovered how this enzyme controlled the function of the organelle known as the centrosome, and developed a systems approach –
analyzing co-expressed genes – to find another protein that provides critical regulation of the centrosome.
- A team led by Dan Janies, PhD, created an interactive genomic and geographic map using phylogenetic softwareand GoogleTM Earth to reconstruct evolution and spread of H5N1 influenza lineages over the past decade. By examining an H5N1 phylogeny projected onto the globe and using character evolution techniques, the team also studied, visually and statistically, whether key genotypes in various viral proteins are correlated with host shifts.
- BMI announced the creation of the Software Research Institute (SRI), the mission of which is to enable the design, development and release of high-quality software and
middleware. Led by co-directors Shannon Hastings, Stephen Langella and Scott Oster, SRI manages the caGrid and Cardio Vascular Research Grid (CVRG) projects.
- The latest version of caGrid, version 1.1, was released in September 2007. The cancer-research community recognized this version for its improvements in such user-requested areas as usability and security. The National Cancer Institute’s caBIG™ Web site has credited Ohio State’s BMI Department for its work as the lead supporting institution for the development of caGrid 1.1. The BMI caGrid team received caBIG™ recognition awards two years in a row for its leadership in and significant contribution to the development of the
caGrid infrastructure.
- BMI’s In Vivo Imaging Core Middleware Development Team was recognized with “Embodying the Vision Award” by the NCI’s caBIG™ program.
- Umit Catalyurek, PhD, earned one of the NSF’s most prestigious awards, Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER), which recognizes a young researcher’s dual commitment to scholarship and education.