Report of the Workshop on Integration of Microbial Databases
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Please contact niels@vitro.cme.msu.edu with any questions or comments you may have.
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Goals
3.0 IMD Prototypes Demonstration
4.0 Recommended Activities
4.1 Organization and Administration
A. Steering Committee: It was proposed that a Steering Committee of approximately 10-12 people, consisting of the following representatives be appointed to guide the development of an IMD.
1.) Technical Experts (in computer networking, hardware, and software).
2.) Database Experts (data structure, syntax, semantics, dat contributors).
3.) User Representatives (from industrial, academic, and clinical arenas).
4.) Representatives from funding agencies, developing nations and scientific societies.
Members of the Steering Committee will have a close association with the project and may be part of the technical or administrative team carrying out the project tasks. The committee may be augmented by external specialists on an ad hoc basis.
B. Coordination Center: It was recommended that the Coordination Center for the Integrated Microbial Database project be located at the Center for Microbial Ecology at Michigan State University. The functions of the center will be:
a.) Developing proposals and assisting data providers with proposal development in support of the project.
b.) Providing a legal entity for receipt and distribution of funds associated with the project.
c.) Preparing reports to funding agencies.
d.) Convening meetings and workshops.
e.) Public Relations (press releases, publicity, development of a homepage on the world wide web, etc.).
C. Technical Working Group: Under the direction and guidance of a Team Leader [or the Director of the Coordination Center], this group will gather data for, develop, and test the database system.
4.2 System Design and Implementation
4.3 Data to be Integrated
4.3.1 First Priority Data
a. Nomenclatural Database
b. Phylogenetic Trees
c. Phenotypic Data
4.3.2 Existing Databases
a. Publicly Accessible On-Line Databases
b. Independently Curated, Specific Databases
4.3.3 Databases Needing Development
a. ARDRA
b. Habitat
c. Databases Obtained with Commercial Test Kits or Systems
d. Images
4.3.4 Other Groups Which Have Microbial Strain Data
5.0 Federation Membership and Responsibilities
6.0 Workshop Participants
7.0 Summary
More information about the integrated database project is available in insights, the CME Newsletter.
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