The overall goal of the Computational Core is to provide the research groups of the Program Project with integrated software/hardware solutions that meet their specific research requirements, and, to make these solutions directly available via network access to the international, gastrointestinal research community.
Specific aims i nclude: (1) the creation of application software for gastrointestinal research; (2) the integration of computer hardware, software and scientific instrumentation for use in specific research applications; (3) training and assisting investigators in the use of available software, hardware and network resources; and, (4) the further development of GINET procedures, tools and standards for (a) the development of software that can be readily obtained and used on different computer platforms, and, (b) advancing world-wide, network access to clinical, scientific and computational resources at gastrointestinal research institutions. The value of using computer systems in gastrointestinal research for data acquisition and analysis, instrument control, codifying physiological knowledge, and managing scientific information is widely recognized. The availability of powerful, low-cost personal computers and workstations, the emergence of hardware and software standards, and the rapidly developing National Research and Educational Network (NREN) have immensely increased the potential usefulness of these computational systems. However, the realization of this potential for gastrointestinal physiology is significantly hindered by a shortage of specific software for gastrointestinal applications and by widespread inexperience in the integration and use of computational systems. The successful operation of the Computer Core during the past five-year funding period demonstrated that a staff of professional programmer/analysts can (1) efficiently and cost-effectively develop required computational solutions for research applications; (2) greatly reduce the time researchers must spend developing, learning and maintaining the required technology; and, (3) increase the appropriate, worldwide use of computational systems for gastrointestinal research by contributing to the development of software portability standards and network access to knowledge and data bases, software archives, and remote computer resources. All four specific aims of the Computational Core are applicable to each of the five projects within the Program Project and to the operation of the Administrative and Cytobiology Cores.
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