Peter Kuhn has no trouble pinpointing his ultimate goal as a bioscience researcher. “I will do whatever it takes to make cancer a managed disease,” says Kuhn, professor of cell biology at The Scripps Research Institute.
What’s often far more elusive for Kuhn and others in the bioscience field is how to more effectively translate massive volumes of complex research data into usable information that helps fellow scientists, doctors and drug developers move closer to a cure for diseases like cancer.
These challenges have inspired Microsoft, The Scripps Research Institute and more than a dozen other companies to form the BioIT Alliance, a cross-industry group working to further integrate science and technology as a means of advancing translational and personalized medicine. Since announcing the alliance last April, Microsoft and various members have initiated several proof-of-concept projects aimed at streamlining data management and exchange as a first step toward more ambitious healthcare breakthroughs.
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