ISYS: a decentralized, component-based approach to the integration of heterogeneous bioinformatics resources

Motivation: Heterogeneity of databases and software resources continues to hamper the integration of biological information. Top-down solutions are no t feasible for the full-scale problem of integration across biological spec ies and data types. Bottom-up solutions so far have not integrated, in a ma ximally flexible way, dynamic and interactive graphical-user-interface comp onents with data repositories and analysis tools. Results: We present a component-based approach that relies on a generalized platform for component integration. The platform enables independently-dev eloped components to synchronize their behavior and exchange services, with out direct knowledge of one another. An interface-based data model allows t he exchange of information with minimal component interdependency. From the se interactions an integrated system results, which we call ISYS(TM). By al lowing services to be discovered dynamically based on selected objects, ISY S encourages a kind of exploratory navigation that we believe to be well-su ited for applications in genomic research.