The Bioinformatics Resource Centers (BRCs) are a group of five Internet-based research centers established in 2004 and funded by NIAID (the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.)[1] The BRCs were formed in response to the threats posed by emerging and re-emerging pathogens, particularly Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Category A, B, and C pathogens,[2] and their potential use in bioterrorism. The intention of NIAID in funding these bioinformatics centers is to assist researchers involved in the experimental characterization of such pathogens and the formation of drugs, vaccines, or diagnostic tools to combat them.
The main goals of the BRCs are as follows:
1) To create comprehensive databases of reliable, up-to-date bioinformatic data (genetic, proteomic, biochemical, or microbiological) related to the pathogens of interest;
2) To provide researchers with easy access to this data through Internet-based search and data retrieval user interfaces;
3) To provide researchers with relevant, state-of-the art computational tools for bioinformatic analysis of these data.
The five BRCs are supported by various institutions, both publicly and privately owned, throughout the USA and Canada. Each BRC focuses on a different group of pathogens.
| Name | Acrono name | Contributing organization(s) | Number of organisms covered | Organisms covered (CDC Category) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eukaryotic Pathogen Database Resources | EuPathDB | University of Pennsylvania | 45 in 13 genera | Crithidia (Other) Cryptosporidium (B) |
| Influenza Research Database | IRD | J. Craig Venter Institute | 1 | Influenza Virus (flu) (C) |
| PathoSystems Resource Integration Center | PATRIC | Virginia Bioinformatics Institute | 22 genera | Bacillus (A) Bartonella (Group I) |
| Virus Pathogen Database and Analysis Resource | ViPR | J. Craig Venter Institute University of Chicago | 13 families | Arenaviridae (A) Bunyaviridae (A) |
| VectorBase | VB | University of Notre Dame European Bioinformatics Institute | 30 | Anopheles gambiae (Other) Anopheles species (x16) (Other) |
| Pathogen Portal | none | Virginia Bioinformatics Institute | Data for 13 species: Gene expression, proteomics | Vaccinia (Other) Variola (A) |
See also[edit]
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
- Bioinformatics
- Categories of biological agents
References[edit]
- ^ Overview, Bioinformatics Resource Centers Archived May 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), January 10, 2008.
- ^ CDC Bioterrorism Agents and Diseases (By Category) Archived 2014-07-22 at the Wayback Machine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Department of Health and Human Services), accessed July 8, 2008.
External links[edit]
- NIAID home page
- Bioinformatics Resource Centers The NIAID page describing the goals and activities of the BRCs
- EuPathDB Eukaryotic Pathogens BRC
- IRD Influenza Research Database BRC
- ViPR Virus Database and Analysis Resource BRC
- PATRIC PathoSystems Resource Integration Center
- VectorBase VectorBase BRC
