Contact:
Jules J. Berman, Ph.D., M.D.
Cancer Diagnosis Program
Telephone: 301-496-7147
e-mail: bermanj@mail.nih.gov

Objective of Project:
The objective of this initiative for a Shared Pathology Informatics Network is to create a model Web-based system that can request and receive data from existing medical databases at multiple institutions.

Description of Project:
Over five years the Network will develop and test the communications protocols needed to access data through internet queries distributed simultaneously to consortia institutions. The data to be searched will include patient demographics, diagnostic information, vital status, clinical history, and, when available, outcome data and information related to recurrence and treatment. The data returned by participating institutions will be collated and returned to the requestor as a structured report that preserves patient confidentiality.

The model system of the Shared Pathology Informatics Network is intended for general application. One of the efforts of this Network will be to define generalizable and flexible procedures for connecting new institutions to the existing network and for creating new networks and for interfacing with federal and commercial networks. Future initiatives could apply that system to create effective, efficient virtual resources to make the vast archives of tissue and data accessible for research.