Towards a reusable ontology framework for biological information integration

Abstract

Reusable knowledge structures are becoming increasingly important in the task of information integration. In biological and clinical research where vast amounts of data being generated and need to be shared, the task of developing infrastructures for information integration is an important one. In this paper, we provide the research background and approach to an ongoing study that aims to develop a reusable framework for the integration of biological and clinical research data. Such a framework shall provide users with the ability to access dispersed sources of biological and clinical data. The theoretical basis for the reusable framework is given. The proposed approach for developing and validation of the framework using the Protégé ontology development environment is also outlined. The study contributes to scientific knowledge by defining ontology structure that integrates biological and clinical information. This framework will be useful for removing the barriers between clinical and biological information for clinicians and the biological research community. The validated tool may also be used for training and extension of skills by researchers and clinicians.