The University of Florida is awarded a grant for the development of BioCorder. The primary goal of the BioCorder project is to develop an information technology framework and infrastructure that facilitates the discovery, access, integration, and analysis of distributed phylogenetic and biodiversity data. BioCorder will also link these distributed data resources to locally stored specimen-based data, which will allow biodiversity researchers to manage data in a structured workflow environment and answer complex research questions that were once intractable. BioCorder will allow the user to track specimens even before they are collected via a project manager that includes target lists for collecting purposes. As specimens are acquired, they are easily tracked through the database as tasks are performed such as producing DNA extracts, PCR products, DNA sequences, etc. The local and distributed information in BioCorder can be queried from a common user interface that contains both simple search capabilities (Google-like searches) as well as complex, multilayered searches. The development of this toolkit will facilitate the training of undergraduates, graduate students, and technicians, each of whom is likely to seek employment in bioinformatics. BioCorder will also enhance the already cohesive research programs of louse biologists. The use of web services for biological data will demonstrate this technology to other researchers and provide an illustration regarding its development and implementation for biological data.
