We will develop a programmable laboratory information management system that research personnel will use to design and implement applications for laboratory research and clinical trials. Such a system can greatly reduce software development costs by minimizing the need for computer professionals. Using an object oriented approach, applications can be developed faster and can be modified with minimal effort as specifications change. The system will be built around the state-of-the-art in client-server technology, and will include a graphical user interface, a relational database management system, and network integration. Additional benefits will come from a user-configurable machine-to-machine interface to automate data collection from laboratory instrumentation. Finally, a flexible reporting and analysis interface will be incorporated to generate reports, perform statistical analyses, and export research data to other specialty statistics and graphics packages.Awardee's statement of the potential commercial applications of the research:The system will provide a flexible information management tool that can be adapted to support many applications in laboratory research and clinical trials.National Cancer Institute (NCI)
