Towards accessible, reproducible, and transparent research in the life sciences: an innovative open source VRE approach in Western France
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Abstract
Research processes in Life Sciences are evolving at a rapid pace. This evolution, due to technological breakthroughs, allows to address more ambitious scientific problems and generalizes the digital aspect of the research data in Life Sciences. If facing the actual data deluge context represents a challenge, it also offers an opportunity to change and enhance our manner to tackle research tasks and disseminate science. For some disciplines, scientific data management and analysis have to be reconsidered in order to offer services and developments matching the new uses.
Adopting a system of systems strategy, we have used the Galaxy portal in combination with ISATools and HUBzero to build a Life Sciences Virtual Research Environment. Each tool offers complementary functionalities: ISAtools software suite for metadata management, HUBzero for scientific collaboration and Galaxy for computation. The resulting combination allows scientists to manage their project from collaboration to data management and analysis. This Virtual Research Environment (VRE) is tested in partnership with the scientific communities in Western France. The evaluation will give us insights on the usage and acceptance of new tools in a scientific field characterized by profound modification of its traditional processes.
Bio
Yvan Le Bras
Initially a marine Biologist, focusing on Populations structure, Yvan received a PhD on quantitative genetics and genomics in Rennes University. After a one year postdoc at INSERM dedicated to Integrative genomics, he investigated an e-Science approach for Life Sciences during a 3 year postdoc project at INRIA / IRISA Rennes. One of the outcome of this project, called e-Biogenouest, is an innovative Virtual Research Environment (VRE) based on existing open source IT solutions and standards for western France life sciences communities. The success of this VRE proof of concept, focusing on scientific collaboration and project management, data management and analysis led to the CeSGO project funded by Brittany region for 3 years. Yvan is now working on this project aiming at the development and implementation of the first French e-Science center and the extension of the VRE concept to others scientific domains such as Human sciences, Mechanics or Electronics.
Sponsored by
HUBzero Foundation
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