IDBS, the leading worldwide provider of research data management and analytics solutions to R&D organizations, announced that its Biomarker Discovery and Validation Solution will be a key component in an $11 million National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) award to create a molecular roadmap for chronic lung diseases. The project's infrastructure will be developed and hosted by the new Center for Cancer Computational Biology (CCCB) at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The award was given to the Lung Genomics Research Consortium (LGRC), led by National Jewish Health and also includes Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston University, University of Colorado Denver, and University of Pittsburgh.

The multi-center LGRC will use advanced genetic and molecular tools to characterize and better understand chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pulmonary fibrosis, then share its discoveries with researchers around the world in a web-accessible data warehouse. Combining genetic, epigenetic, transcriptional, and phenotypic data will provide an unprecedented window into these diseases, improving diagnosis and future personalized treatments. Data will be generated from a biorepository of almost 1,300 well characterized tissue samples from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis and other chronic lung diseases.

The IDBS Biomarker Discovery and Validation Solution, based on the InforSense and E-WorkBook Suites, will provide the infrastructure to manage, analyze and visualize the phenotypic and genomic data generated in the project. IDBS will also provide ClinicalSense and VisualSense to deliver web interfaces, enabling researchers to leverage this new data source.

"The LGRC project aims to produce an invaluable resource to enable better characterization and treatment of these deadly and poorly served lung diseases. We created the Center for Cancer Computational Biology specifically to work on this type of research," said Professor John Quackenbush, Director of the Center for Cancer Computational Biology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. "We will be using the IDBS solution to help manage and analyze the phenotypic and genomic data generated as part of the project."

"We are delighted to be part of such a ground breaking research project and to be extending our relationship with Dana-Farber and the CCCB," said Neil Kipling, founder and CEO of IDBS. "Translational and biomarker research continues to be a primary focus at IDBS, with extensive investment being made in developing the InforSense and E-WorkBook Suites and applying our other world leading products in this field."

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IDBS