Grid Fighting Cancer

The National Institutes of Health Cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIG) is one of the most exciting Grid deployments out there. There's a nice NIH Web site with background information. Quoting that site:

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has launched the caBIG™ (cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid™) initiative to speed research discoveries and improve patient outcomes by linking researchers, physicians, and patients throughout the cancer community. caBIG™ is a voluntary network of infrastructure, tools, and ideas that enables the collection, analysis, and sharing of data and knowledge along the entire research pathway from laboratory bench to patient bedside.

I like caBIG for two reasons. The first is my family history of cancer )-:. The second is that they are one of the most ambitious and successful users of Globus software that I know. There are more an 800 people working on 70 projects within caBIG, and every caBIG Web Service is built on Globus technology. The caBIG software distribution uses just about every Globus component. In addition, caBIG has developed some nice new functionality to Globus, including:

• The very nice Introduce interactive development environment (IDE) developed at Ohio State University. (We expect this to be contributed to dev.globus in the near future.)
• Integration of BPEL and GT4, allowing dynamic creation and management of BPEL workflows, and coordination of GT4 services from BPEL. This work has resulted in contributions back to ActiveBPEL, and should feed into Globus execution management.
• Integration of the Handle system and GT4 security for secure name resolution. This is already a dev.globus incubator.

I'm as much a fan of the search for the Higg's Boson as anyone, but there is something to be said about finding a cure for cancer!

Comments

[Pueraria Mirifica]

Nice blog, thanks for this information.