New Generation Computing, 22(2004)157-166
Ohmsha, Ltd. and Springer-Verlag

A Challenge towards Next-Generation Research
Infrastructure for Advanced Life Science

Haruki NAKAMURA
Institute for Protein Research, Osaka Univ.
3-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan
harukin@protein.osaka-u.ac.jp
Susumu DATE and Hideo MATSUDA
Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Osaka Univ.
1-3 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531 Japan
sdate@ist.osaka-u.ac.jp, matsuda@ist.osaka-u.ac.jp
Shinji SHIMOJO
Cybermedia center, Osaka Univ.
5-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047 Japan
shimojo@cmc.osaka-u.ac.jp

Received 15 June 2003
Revised manuscript received 29 December 2003

Abstract

Recently, life scientists have expressed a strong need for computational power sufficient to complete their analyses within a realistic time as well as for a computational power capable of seamlessly retrieving biological data of interest from multiple and diverse bio-related databases for their research infrastructure. This need implies that life science strongly requires the benefits of advanced IT. In Japan, the Biogrid project has been promoted since 2002 toward the establishment of a next-generation research infrastructure for advanced life science. In this paper, the Biogrid strategy toward these ends is detailed along with the role and mission imposed on the Biogrid project. In addition, we present the current status of the development of the project as well as the future issues to be tackled.

Keywords:BioPfuga, UDS-XML, Metadata-based Database Federation, GSI-SFS, Computational Grid, Data Grid.

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