The need for higher level processing of Life Sciences resources using a database-like system has increased in the post genomic era, as researchers move from sequence-based to whole genome-based analysis. High throughput and low-cost data processing and gathering techniques are helping researchers to publish an abundance of interesting data from across the globe at an exponential rate. Paradoxically, researchers are now faced with the problem of efficiently and effectively locating and using resources of interest from the vast amount of distributed data repositories. So, the need for generic system and tool support for higher level complex query processing, interpretation of data, and workflow management in a declarative fashion has become critical. The overall goal of this project is to develop a platform, which we will name LifeDB, for ad hoc integration of Life Sciences resources based on a declarative workflow query language called BioFlow. To a large extent, the system will support command line as well graphical interfaces for ad hoc application development and workflow query processing involving distributed resources without any need for traditional programming. The team is developing a visual interface, called WebFusion, for the automatic integration and workflow query processing using biological data as a manual and initial solution, a formal syntax and semantics for BioFlow, a declarative language, to support on the fly integration and workflow query and, new methods for low level data integration, wrapper, and schema mapping service requests toward the implementation of LifeDB system. The approach will change the way biologists currently query databases. Successful implementation and future enhancements of the system will obviate the need for biologists to focus on the "how to" of their application and more on the "what to" of their research. Students are actively engaged throughout the research.
