Data & Information Management
CSS designs systems to store, retrieve, and share scientific research and findings with ease. Our developers work closely with our scientists to understand and accurately define the unique requirements so data are easily mined, and accessible to the appropriate users. CSS provides expertise for a variety of management applications, including:
- Database and Website Design
- Computational Biology
- Database Editing
Database and Website Design
Scientific research produces a varied set of data - text, graphs, images - that often require integration into a single data management system for effective access and use. CSS brings to its clients an understanding of the types of data and queries unique to scientific applications which result in effective database design. CSS addresses accessibility requirements of publicly–funded research results through design and integration of databases with websites that are easily navigated, yet incorporate security to protect personal and other sensitive information. The CSS design process includes:
- Requirements determination
- Database design and maintenance
- Security
- Data entry, quality control and verification
- Data mining
- Programming for data conversion
- Information storage and document management systems
Computational Biology
CSS staff are at the forefront of the application of computational biology, providing user support worldwide to scientists accessing the genomic and proteomic analysis tools housed at the National Center for Biotechnology Information. CSS scientists integrate molecular biology, computational biology and computer programming to provide customized analysis support for data input, variable analysis, programming modifications, and interpretation of results.
Database Editing
CSS has a talented staff of scientists and statisticians who design and implement effective data entry, verification, imputation, and mining protocols, and quality control systems to ensure that data are scientifically sound. As an example, CSS has supported the biomedical language systems that underpin some of the world's most accessed scientific information resources such as the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) PubMed system through research and editing of databases so that this and other systems can be effectively cross-referenced when using terms, concepts, and other search items.