caNanoLab and Standards Development

The caNanoLab project is actively involved in a variety of efforts supporting the development of standards for representing nanomaterials and their characterizations as applied to the field of nanomedicine. The caNanoLab project participates in the caBIG® Integrative Cancer Research (ICR) participated in the  Nanotechnology Working Group (Nano WG) which is was chartered to integrate nanotechnology information and tools to aid discovery and clinical translation in the cancer research community leveraging caBIG infrastructure components. The primary objectives of the caBIG ICR Nano WG are were to:

• Define and prioritize development and governance needs for the cancer nanotechnology ontology
• Adopt and collect data sharing standards and protocols for cancer nanotechnology data
• Develop a vision for nanoinformatics enabling information exchange with nanotechnology resources leveraging data standards

The caNanoLab project participates participated in working group objectives by assisting in the development of nanotechnology standards and the application of these standards in the caNanoLab nanotechnology resource. Information on caBIG ICR Nano WG standards leveraged by caNanoLab is provided in the subsections belowthat follow.

Nanotechnology Data Sharing Standards

The caNanoLab project worked with the caBIG ICR Nano WG to develop a Nanotechnology Data Sharing Standards document which identifies common data elements leveraged across nanotechnology resources.

Nanotechnology Data Sharing Standards includes support for:

• Nanomaterials and their Composition - Nanomaterials (e.g. for example, dendrimer) and their associated properties (e.g. for example, branch, generation) and composing elements (e.g. for example, core). Includes functionalizing entities (e.g. for example, small molecule, antibodies) associated with the nanomaterial that allow the material to function as a targeting, therapeutic, and/or diagnostic agent.
• Physico-Chemical Characterizations - Assay conditions and measurements associated with the physical (e.g. for example, size, molecular weight) and chemical (e.g. for example, surface chemistry) properties of nanomaterials.
• In Vitro Characterizations - Assay conditions and measurements that assess a nanomaterial's interaction with cellular components including cytotoxicity and blood contact properties.
• In Vivo Characterizations - Characterizations performed on nanomaterials to determine the safety, efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and toxicology properties of nanomaterials in animal models so that nanomaterials can be transitioned for use in clinical applications.

NanoParticle Ontology

caNanoLab consumes of and contributes to the NanoParticle Ontology (NPO)

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ISA-TAB-Nano

nano-TAB is a tab-delimited spreadsheet type of format facilitating the submission and exchange of data pertaining to nanomaterial composition and their characterizations. The caNanoLab project participates participated on the caBIG ICR NCI Nano WG sub-group supporting the development of nanoISA-TAB-Nano which leverages and extends the ISA-TAB standard.

To become a member of the nano-TAB sub-group, please subscribe to the nano-TAB Listserv. Artifacts from the sub-group are available on the nanothe ISA-TAB project site

LS DAM Nano Sub-Domain

caNanoLab has been working with the caBIG Life Sciences Domain Analysis Modeling (LS DAM) team to develop a nano sub-domain. The nano sub-domain is based on the caNanoLab object model (nano-OM) extended to support existing LS DAM concepts. The caNanoLab project aims to develop future services leveraging the NCI's Enterprise Compliance and Conformance Framework (ECCF)-Nano project site.