A Modular Repository-based Infrastructure for Simulation Model Storage and Execution Support in the Context of In Silico Oncology and In Silico Medicine

Cancer Inform. 2016 Oct 27:15:219-235. doi: 10.4137/CIN.S40189. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

The plethora of available disease prediction models and the ongoing process of their application into clinical practice - following their clinical validation - have created new needs regarding their efficient handling and exploitation. Consolidation of software implementations, descriptive information, and supportive tools in a single place, offering persistent storage as well as proper management of execution results, is a priority, especially with respect to the needs of large healthcare providers. At the same time, modelers should be able to access these storage facilities under special rights, in order to upgrade and maintain their work. In addition, the end users should be provided with all the necessary interfaces for model execution and effortless result retrieval. We therefore propose a software infrastructure, based on a tool, model and data repository that handles the storage of models and pertinent execution-related data, along with functionalities for execution management, communication with third-party applications, user-friendly interfaces to access and use the infrastructure with minimal effort and basic security features.

Keywords: Oncosimulator; database; in silico oncology; model execution platform; multiscale cancer modeling; repository.