SBIR Phase I:HIVbase, Data Integration Software to Support the Study of Chronic Viruses

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will support the development of software, designated HIVbase, which will modernize the way that clinical researchers manage their data. For researchers that need to maximize the value of their collected information, we will offer a product that contains unique applications for integrating multiple sources of disparate data into an automated high-dimensional warehouse, applications that perform repetitious tasks common to genetic and clinical research projects, and applications that are easy to use. Investigators of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus have an unsurpassed amount of research information in user-hostile formats, error-filled spreadsheets, out-dated databases, directories containing thousands of individual files and even paper records. Never before has so much informational power been available to HIV scientists. We will exploit current technological advances and put together a program containing several novel applications: protein identification tools to eliminate repetitious sequence editing, the ability to create user-defined searches based on specific genetic attributes, and the ability to efficiently share information with outside collaborators. The outcome of this project will have broad implication in the health (HIV) and data mining areas. Health service providers will now have access to more complete data in a more expeditious way. Other fields will be able to use this application to make information available in an ordered and reliable fashion to its service providers.