The hundreds of biological databases which currently exist on the Internet form the infrastructure which supports much present research in basic and applied science, medicine, and biotechnology. They are significant information resources that represent the fundamental research infrastructure for future competitiveness in scientific research and application of technology. The rapid expansion of this infrastructure and its new ease of access has outpaced the scientific and business communities' ability to establish economic support to maintain these resources over the long term. This project will explore alternative support mechanisms for the maintenance, curation and further development of the biological database infrastructure. A multi-disciplinary team will survey biological database developers on sources for and stability of their funding; benchmark the University of Minnesota Biocatalysis/Biodegradation Database (UM-BBD), URL -- http://dragon.labmed.umn.edu/index.html, three other biological databases, and three non-peer-group information- based systems, to analyze costs, value creation, and value recover in information-based infrastructures and establish a starting point for economic modeling of such systems; and develop at least one economic model for the long term support of the biological database infrastructure. At the end of this pilot project, one will be validated by applying it to the UM-BBD and other biological databases. If successful this pilot project will help assure the economic survival of the biological database infrastructure.
