Bio
Welcome to the data management group for the BioSciences Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. We focus on utilizing cutting edge sensor and data management technologies to standardize and streamline the acquisition, management, and curation of data on scales ranging from individual genomes to entire ecosystems. Our strategy is to leverage the ongoing work of colleagues who are developing existing bioinformatics tools and pipelines and expand on these to accommodate larger and more diverse data types. We have a strong interest in developing packages to manage data streams from sensors mounted on both proximal and remote sensing platforms. These data streams can then be merged and curated to create holistic and FAIR data repositories that lend themselves to rapid and automated extraction of information for analysis, research, publications, and public dissemination. We utilize both specialized equipment (such as hyperspectral imagers mounted on UAV’s ) and commodity equipment (cell phone GPS and cameras) to rapidly acquire field and greenhouse image data that can be translated into phenology measurements of interest to researchers.
One significant focus for our group is managing the data streams coming from experiments associated with the Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI). These data streams derive from individual genotypes of Poplar and Switchgrass that have been sequenced and cultivated in common gardens and green house facilities across the United States. Data types from these experiments can include tissue assays, soil assays, microbial assays, and environmental assays. We collaborate with researchers to develop new methods and new tools to help with standardizing and homogenizing the data streams coming from the experiments. Data is curated, manipulated, and FAIRified on our internal data platforms before being released as production data sets.