The INTEGRATE project: Delivering solutions for efficient multi-centric clinical research and trials

J Biomed Inform. 2016 Aug:62:32-47. doi: 10.1016/j.jbi.2016.05.006. Epub 2016 May 17.

Abstract

The objective of the INTEGRATE project (http://www.fp7-integrate.eu/) that has recently concluded successfully was the development of innovative biomedical applications focused on streamlining the execution of clinical research, on enabling multidisciplinary collaboration, on management and large-scale sharing of multi-level heterogeneous datasets, and on the development of new methodologies and of predictive multi-scale models in cancer. In this paper, we present the way the INTEGRATE consortium has approached important challenges such as the integration of multi-scale biomedical data in the context of post-genomic clinical trials, the development of predictive models and the implementation of tools to facilitate the efficient execution of postgenomic multi-centric clinical trials in breast cancer. Furthermore, we provide a number of key "lessons learned" during the process and give directions for further future research and development.

Keywords: Cohort selection; Collaborative environment; Innovative biomedical applications; Post-genomic clinical trials; Predictive models; Quantitative analysis; Semantic integration.

MeSH terms

  • Biomedical Research*
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Computational Biology
  • Database Management Systems*
  • Databases, Factual
  • Genomics*
  • Humans