The use of ontologies to describe both clinical and experimental data is now a standard technique in integrative translational research. When data from different sources are described using shared, logically structured, controlled vocabularies, this makes the data more easily retrievable and navigable, and it also enhances the degree to which they can be analyzed and combined to serve new purposes. Following a strategy pioneered by the Gene Ontology, ontologies are now being developed for the description of biological and biomedical data of almost every type. To achieve their goal in a maximally effective way, these ontologies must work well together, and as ontologies become ever more commonly used in all areas of the life sciences and of clinical and translational research, the problems involved in achieving coordination in ontology development become ever more urgent. To address these problems there is an urgent need for a general overarching conference involving representatives of all the major communities involved in the development and application of ontologies in biomedicine. Qualifications of Organizers and Participants. The organizers have considerable experience in directing major interdisciplinary events at the intersection of biology, biomedical informatics and clinical and translational research. Invited speakers will be leading figures in the field of biomedical ontology. Presentations will be selected on the basis of submissions refereed by the Scientific Committee. Steps are being taken to encourage submissions from under-represented groups. Papers accepted for presentation will be published in a volume of conference proceedings. Scientific Plans for the Proposed Conference. The workshop program is designed to ensure coverage of the entire domain of biomedical research, from genomics to clinical research. Principal anticipated long-term outcomes are: (1) heightened mutual awareness of the work being undertaken by the many groups involved in developing and using ontologies to serve the ends of clinical and translational research;(2) establishment of new cross-disciplinary collaborations among these groups. Rationale for Funding Support. The sorts of cross-disciplinary expertise in biology, biomedicine, biomedical informatics and computer science that are the presupposition of successful work in biomedical ontology are not yet adequately addressed in university training programs. There is accordingly a shortage of junior researchers with the needed awareness and expertise. We hope that this conference will serve as an initial step to addressing this shortfall. We are accordingly requesting funding to enable students and early career scientists, especially from under-represented groups, to participate in this second ICBO conference.
The use of ontologies to describe both clinical and experimental data is now a standard technique in integrative translational research. We request funding in the form of early career participant stipends for the first general conference involving representatives of all the major communities involved in the development and application of ontologies in biomedicine.
| Goldfain, Albert; Smith, Barry; Cowell, Lindsay G (2011) Towards an ontological representation of resistance: the case of MRSA. J Biomed Inform 44:35-41 |
