SBIR Phase I Topic 407 - Cloud-Based Software for the Cancer Research Data Commons.

NIH RePORTER · NIH · N01 · $246,378 · view on reporter.nih.gov ↗

Abstract

Cloud computing has emerged as a solution to address challenges of storing and analyzing big data. However, the technical complexity to provision and configure virtual servers is a major barrier to adoption of cloud technologies in cancer research. This complexity is exacerbated by the rapid evolution of new computational techniques, which raises addition difficulties in installation and reproducibility of results of analytical workflows. Consequently, even with the rapidly expanding quantity, accessibility, and utility of multi-omics data, cloud resources remain under-utilized in cancer research. There is a clear opportunity for a platform to deliver optimized analytical tools to the cancer community that integrate seamlessly with existing multi-omics databases and tools. To address this gap, we have developed the Biodepot-workflow-builder (Bwb), a user-friendly graphical platform for building and executing bioinformatics workflows in the cloud. The platform uses software containers to ensure reproducibility and facilitate installation and execution of workflows. Our goal is to use Bwb as a front-end to allow cancer researchers to easily access databases from the Cancer Research Data Commons (CRDC), and analyze CRDC data using customizable cloud-based workflows from a curated repository. In addition, we will also optimize performance of common cancer workflows by leveraging cloudbased serverless computing platforms.

Key facts

NIH application ID
10250983
Project number
75N91020C00009-0-9999-1
Recipient
BIODEPOT LLC
Principal Investigator
LING-HONG HUNG
Activity code
N01
Funding institute
NIH
Fiscal year
2020
Award amount
$246,378
Award type
Project period
2020-09-16 → 2021-06-15