GRISSOM web based grid portal: Exploiting the power of grid infrastructure for the interpretation and storage of DNA microarray experiments

DNA Microarrays have dramatically reshaped modern biological research by deriving profiles of genome-wide expression of living organisms, and producing an unprecedented wealth of quantitative data. Given this characteristic, microarray experiments are considered high-throughput both in terms of data (data intensive) and processing (computationally intensive). GRISSOM enables exploitation of GRID resources for DNA microarray distributed processing. It provides experts with a complete web-based solution for managing, searching and disseminating biological knowledge in the context of gene expression patterns on a genomic scale. The platform is developed and deployed using open source software components. Through the use of web service technologies (WSDL language) GRISSOM can be encapsulated in other biomedical processing workflows, thus rendering access to its algorithms, transparent and generic.