Methods Inf Med 2011; 50(01): 84-95
DOI: 10.3414/ME10-02-0012
Special Topic – Original Articles
Schattauer GmbH

International Efforts in Nanoinformatics Research Applied to Nanomedicine

D. de la Iglesia
1   Biomedical Informatics Group, Departamento de Inteligencia Artificial, Facultad de Informatica, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
,
V. Maojo
1   Biomedical Informatics Group, Departamento de Inteligencia Artificial, Facultad de Informatica, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
,
S. Chiesa
1   Biomedical Informatics Group, Departamento de Inteligencia Artificial, Facultad de Informatica, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
,
F. Martin-Sanchez
2   Department of Medical Bioinformatics. Institute of Health “Carlos III”, Madrid, Spain
,
J. Kern
3   Department of Medical Statistics, Epidemiology and Medical Informatics, Andrija Stampar School of Public Health, Zagreb University Medical School, Zagreb, Croatia
,
G. Potamias
4   Institute of Computer Science, FORTH, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
,
J. Crespo
1   Biomedical Informatics Group, Departamento de Inteligencia Artificial, Facultad de Informatica, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
,
M. Garcia-Remesal
1   Biomedical Informatics Group, Departamento de Inteligencia Artificial, Facultad de Informatica, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
,
S. Keuchkerian
5   HealthGrid Organization, Clermont-Ferrand, France
,
C. Kulikowski
6   Department of Computer Science, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
,
J. A. Mitchell
7   Biomedical Informatics Department, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, , USA
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Publikationsverlauf

received: 15. Februar 2010

accepted: 26. August 2010

Publikationsdatum:
18. Januar 2018 (online)

Summary

Background: Nanomedicine and nanoinformatics are novel disciplines facing substantial challenges. Since nanomedicine involves complex and massive data analysis and management, a new discipline named nanoinformatics is now emerging to provide the vision and the informatics methods and tools needed forsuch purposes. Methods from biomedical informatics may prove applicable with some adaptation despite nanomedicine involving different biophysical and biochemical characteristics of nanomaterials and corresponding differences in information complexity.

Objectives: We analyze recent initiatives and opportunities for research in nanomedicine and nanoinformatics as well as the previous experience of the authors, particularly in the context of a European project named ACTION-Grid. In this project the authors aimed to create a collaborative environment in biomedical and nanomedical research among countries in Europe, Western Balkans, Latin America, North Africa and the USA.

Methods: We review and analyze the rationale and scientific issues behind the new fields of nanomedicine and nanoinformatics. Such a review is linked to actual research projects and achievements of the authors within their groups.

Results: The work of the authors at the intersection between these two areas is presented. We also analyze several research initiatives that have recently emerged in the EU and USA context and highlight some ideas for future action at the international level.

Conclusions: Nanoinformatics aims to build new bridges between medicine, nanotechnology and informatics, allowing the application of computational methods in the nano-related areas. Opportunities for world-wide collaboration are already emerging and will be influential in advancing the field.