History

The caBIG^® initiative was launched by the National Cancer Institute in February 2004 under the coordinating supervision of the Center for Bioinformatics, now known as the Center for Bioinformatics and Information Technology (CBIIT). The initial step was to gather information from members of the cancer community across the country and also across specialty areas. Hundreds of potential partners at cancer centers weighed in to establish priorities and set the framework.

There were many challenges to be overcome in the early days of the caBIG^® initiative. First, it called for the creation of a grid or network for which there was no precedent, requiring a huge amount of effort and a significant change in the way information is shared. Second, since the data to be managed has been growing every minute in terms of volume and complexity, it was necessary to manage it without "stopping" it – akin to building a new highway without stopping the flow of traffic. Third, there are so-called "legacy" systems – previously created methods of handling data, including many that are still paper-based – that could not be ignored or tossed aside. Similarly, there are many disparate and incompatible document and file formats that do not "speak" the same technical language. And finally, there are institutional barriers, resulting either from unfamiliarity with information technology or from prior habits, that have been difficult to change.

Nonetheless, due to the dedicated support and pioneering efforts of early partners, caBIG^® successfully accomplished its pilot program goals.

caBIG^® now includes over 1000 participants from 200+ organizations who are working continually to refine and support the adoption of the caBIG^® network and its related tools, standards, and policies.