Re: Evidence of Significance of Semantic Web for Life Sciences

Hi Lena,

"Although this was not achieved using the LODD cloud or semantic web technologies, it illustrates the same type of network analysis that we are trying to enable for linked life sciences and health care data. "

Then it is a problematic example -- after all this could also be interpreted as an illustration of how such things can be achieved without SW technologies!

 - Matthias


From: Helena Deus 
Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2011 1:16 PM
To: Oliver Ruebenacker 
Cc: public-semweb-lifesci 
Subject: Re: Evidence of Significance of Semantic Web for Life Sciences


Hi Oliver, 


Related example:
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/337088/title/Network_analysis_predicts_drug_side_effects?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews 


“To clear some of the haze surrounding side effects, scientists from Harvard Medical School and Children’s Hospital Boston created a network linking 809 medications to 852 side effects that were known as of 2005. The team also added information to their network on chemical properties, such as the drug’s melting point and molecular weight, and where the drug does its stuff in the body. Using these data and relationships alone, the computer predicted side effects that were reported in later years, such as the seizure drug zonisamide causing suicidal thoughts in some people and the antibiotic norfloxacin’s link to ruptured tendons. It also linked the controversial diabetes drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) to heart attacks, a connection that is supported by some research.”




Although this was not achieved using the LODD cloud or semantic web technologies, it illustrates the same type of network analysis that we are trying to enable for linked life sciences and health care data. 


Best,
Lena


On Wed, Dec 21, 2011 at 4:39 PM, Oliver Ruebenacker <curoli@gmail.com> wrote:

      Hello,

   I am looking for evidence I can quote to convince non-experts of the
  significance of applying Semantic Web to biomedical research,
  especially computational cell biology.

   I need a recorded public statement from a source recognizable as
  authoritative to a non-expert: e.g. could be from a relevant
  government agency, a well-known research institution (including major
  grad schools and companies), a well-known (i.e. well-known outside the
  field) expert, some one where a brief look at the biography
  immediately suggests he or she is an authority, some one quoted in
  major media, etc.

   Significance could mean abstract things like advancing science and
  health care, but even better would be tangible things like: saves
  lives, saves money, cures cancer/malaria/AIDS, creates jobs, etc.

   Thanks a lot!

      Take care
      Oliver

  --
  Oliver Ruebenacker, Computational Cell Biologist
  Virtual Cell (http://vcell.org)
  SBPAX: Turning Bio Knowledge into Math Models (http://www.sbpax.org)
  http://www.oliver.curiousworld.org







-- 
Helena F. Deus 
Post-Doctoral Researcher at DERI/NUIG
http://lenadeus.info/