Bioinformatics and cancer research: building bridges for translational research

Abstract

Genome studies have revolutionised cancer research in recent years as high-throughput technologies can now be used to identify sets of genes potentially related with different processes in cancer. However, managing all this data and organising it into useful datasets is still a challenge in the bioinformatics field. Finding relationships between the molecular and genomic information and the clinical information available, within the medical informatics domain, is currently driving the development of translational research in biomedicine. The dispersion and complexity of the molecular information, the poor adherence to standards, together with the fast evolution of the experimental techniques, pose obvious challenges for the development of integrated molecular resources. In parallel, restricted access to medical information together with the gaps in the development of standard terminologies are typical limitations in the area of medical informatics. The development of research projects combining medical and molecular information together with the current efforts to standardise and integrate databases and terminologies are described in this review as a demonstration of the fruitful activity in this area.

Linking genes to literature: text mining, information extraction, and retrieval applications for biology

“…Specific search strategies have been devised for optimal retrieval of relevant clinical studies to assist clinicians in performing efficient and targeted literature searches for specific medical subdomains [9,10]. Experimental biologists are making use of the scientific literature for multiple stages within the scientific discovery process.…”

“…Efficient information retrieval (identification of relevant documents, given some search criteria) is essential to the biomedical research community [ 7 ], as large biomedical literature databases are being used as a resource for clinical decision support in evidence-based clinical practice, providing useful information for diagnostic aids [ 8 ]. Specific search strategies have been devised for optimal retrieval of relevant clinical studies to assist clinicians in performing efficient and targeted literature searches for specific medical subdomains [ 9 , 10 ]. Experimental biologists are making use of the scientific literature for multiple stages within the scientific discovery process.…”

Applications of a new In vivo tumor spheroid based shell-less chorioallantoic membrane 3-D model in bioengineering research

“…Mathematical modeling and multi-scale computer simulations of tumor dynamics have a promising future as innovative diagnostic tools for treatment of cancer in addition and complementary to experimental and clinical investigations [31]. …”

Implementation of postgenomic technologies for cancer research. Institutional experience

“…Bioinformatics emerged as an essential discipline with the development of high throughput genomic technologies a few years ago. Nowadays, skills in bioinformatics are highly required in the institutions that develop research programs based on high throughput technologies and obtain results based on large quantities of data, such as genomics and proteomics (17,26).…”