Gene expression analyses generate manipulation, and analysis. We propose to develop object-oriented, CORBA-compliant database software that is extensible and generally applicable to all array-based gene expression studies. We will design an object model to store and manage user-defined experimental variables and related data sets. We will incorporate CORBA-compliant client software to allow large, distributed research groups to distribute and share data. We will develop a query engine to filter quantitatively and qualitatively the stored expression data for those genes that display expression patterns of interest. Our software will help researchers to tailor these tools to the specific demands of their research interests and to automate the analysis of large expression projects. Finally, we will develop gene regulation modeling tools with which the researcher will develop hypotheses of gene regulation and will test those hypotheses against available expression data. Thus, we are proposing a flexible, integrated, and distributed software architecture for storing, manipulating, and analyzing array-based gene expression data using emerging industrial standards. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: The software developed with this grant will be applied to manage and interpret data resulting from pharmaceutical, biomedical or basic research that employs array-based gene expression detection. It could also be used with expression-based disease diagnostic tests to compare test results to previously known diseased expression profiles.
