Integrating bioinformatics information resources: Management of information through clustering

Abstract

Human Genome Project completed in 2003 undertaken by National Institute of Health (NIH), USA and US Department of Energy to determine the sequence of chemical base pair which make up Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA). This mega project generated huge amount of Data and Information. The Enormous amount of data generated through whole-genome sequencing efforts, microarray technologies, and mapping of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), proteomics, and many other efforts, have created chasm of knowledge for most traditionally trained biologists on how to interpret and utilize wealth of information. The storage and management of the data and its processing posed challenges to the information scientists too, which resulted in the birth of bioinformatics. The discipline, Bioinformatics is drawing concepts from various subject areas such as biological sciences, computer science, genetics, mathematics and statistics. Various related resources also emerged in the form of published literature, specialized centers for bioinformatics, organism specific databases and software tools to analyze data. Database driven technology emerged as one of the solution to maintain and sustain the information. Bioinformatics being a novice subject field and it utilizes multidimensional approach for analysis of data. There are various problems related to generation, communication and interaction of biological information due to heterogeneity. The Users of bioinformatics information often find it a challenge to get awareness and access to the relevant information. Information literacy, creation of databases, consolidation of information resources and presenting them in helpful manner for coherent access are some of solutions for enhanced access. This paper is deals with design and development of a single tool for providing access to variety of resources in bioinformatics.