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CRI News

Upcoming Training
On June 28, the Bioinformatics Core will present the free training seminar “Introduction to Linux Command Line for Bioinformatics.” For more information and to register, click here.

We’re Hiring
The CRI is looking to add a Senior DBA Architect, a Bioinformatician, and a Programmer to our team. Click here for more information.

Chief Research Informatics Officer Bob Grossman Launches Data Cloud to Analyze Cancer Data
Read more about Dr. Grossman’s Bionimbus Protected Data Cloud: National Science Foundation News

New Director of the CRI: Welcome, Sam
Effective April 1, 2013, the Center for Research Informatics welcomes Sam Volchenboum, MD, PhD as our new Director. Sam has been a part of the CRI since May 1, 2012 as Associate Chief Research Informatics Officer, leading our faculty outreach and educational efforts. In addition to this role, Sam will now direct the day-to-day operations and strategic planning of the CRI. Bob Grossman, PhD will continue to guide the BSD’s informatics activities, including those of the CRI, in his role as Chief Research Informatics Officer.

In addition to his work in the CRI, Sam serves the Department of Pediatrics as Assistant Professor. His research includes using proteomics to study neuroblastoma, a pediatric solid tumor; developing software to facilitate real-time mass spectrometry peptide identification; and creating tools to improve provider communication and patient care within the section of pediatric hematology and oncology. Sam is also an Associate Director of the Institute for Translational Medicine and a Fellow in the Computation Institute.

Welcome, Plamen
April 8, 2013: The CRI is pleased to welcome Plamen Martinov, our new Director of Systems and Security. Plamen joins us from Chicago Biomedicine Information Services where he was Lead Data Security Engineer. He will directly manage our systems & security team, transitioning this role from Don Saner who has served as Interim Director.

Our Newest Tool and Services

The CRI is pleased to offer robust computational tools and services to BSD researchers to enable advanced scientific research. Here are some of our newly added offerings:

  • High Performance Computing (HPC) Cluster: 1024 cores (2.2 GHz AMD Opteron 6274)
  • Storage: 700-terabyte Isilon cluster with available space to be provisioned for labshares and individuals
  • Large Memory Linux Supercomputer
    • Memory: 1 terabyte of RAM
    • Processor: Intel® Xeon® CPU E7-8870 @ 2.40GHz x 8 – 160 cores
    • Storage: 40T of shared storage space
  • Backup and Restore System: Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM)
  • Self Service Data Analysis Environment: CRI Galaxy, a web-based portal providing data storage, data management, and analytical tools integrated with our computing resources
  • i2b2, a datamart for cohort identification, is now available for all BSD and UCHAD researchers. For more information, please see our overview and FAQ.

Accessing CRI Resources

Please apply for resources here.

A BSD account is required for access. If you do not have a BSD account, please email the CBIS service desk or call 773-702-3456.

The Center for Research Informatics

In February 2011, the Dean and Dean for Research and Graduate Education created the role of the Biological Sciences Division (BSD) Chief Research Informatics Officer (CRIO) with a charge of overseeing and directing research informatics efforts across the BSD.

Over the past year, with input from BSD leadership, BSD faculty, and the Research Informatics Faculty Oversight Committee, the Office of the CRIO has consolidated research informatics in the BSD into one organization: the Center for Research Informatics or CRI. We have stood up a governance structure to ensure the proper decision making committees and processes are in place as we move forward developing the informatics infrastructure and services needed to advance research across the Division.

As we grow our organization, we have undertaken several key initiatives in the first year, including the creation of a Clinical Research Data Warehouse (CRDW) and of a Bioinformatics Core. We have also worked with the Institute for Translational Medicine and other partners on joint initiatives.

We will continue to support services formerly offered through the iBi, including REDCap and Velos. As we grow, we hope to offer a full spectrum of services in bioinformatics and clinical and translational informatics to researchers.

The CRI will also provide an intellectual home for research and educational programs to advance the state of bioinformatics, clinical informatics, and translational informatics (collectively “biomedical informatics”).

As we move forward and grow our organization, it is important that we hear from faculty so that we can provide the services, education and support that are important to you.

We look forward to hearing from you.Informatics Service Catalog

Bob

Robert Grossman, PhD
Chief Research Informatics Officer
Professor of Medicine, Section of Genetic Medicine
Director of Informatics for the Institute for Genomics and Systems Biology
Senior Fellow, Computation Institute