Information integration of diverse laboratory data sources using information supply chains

Information integration in disciplines such as drug discovery poses major challenges, as often only data from unstructured or semi-structured information sources is available and is in many cases neither semantically consistent nor in a form which can be easily extracted and shared. One of the problems with current frameworks is their inability to cope with diversity of sources and changing information types so that they may be seen as constraint rather than support. Therefore there is evidence of growing demand for information integration and information sharing in drug discovery laboratories. In this paper, we present an approach for integration of experimental data in highly diverse, semi-structured scientific domains and promoting collaboration by supplying information at the right time in the right context to the right users. The paper describes how subject-oriented specific Information Supply Chains (ISC) can be established in a flexible manner to integrate required information, thereby balancing information supply and demand. We introduce the concept of ISC using a model based on Research Description Framework (RDF) and demonstrate using a case study approach how ISCs can help the decision process by making required information available at the time needed.

The paper was presented at IADIS International Conference e-Health 2011 and was held in Rome, Italy, 20-22 July 2011.