E. Badidi, B.F. Lang, G. Burger.
To carry out tasks such as gene identification, structure modeling and phylogenetic analysis, biologists employ a variety of bioinformatics analysis software tools. These applications use various data types (nucleotide, protein, taxonomy, etc.) and data formats (fasta, staden, etc.). To creatively and efficiently analyze data, life scientists require an interactive environment that integrates heterogeneous bioinformatics software tools and, at the same time, is easily expandable to incorporate the ever-growing number of newly developed applications.
We will present the design and implementation of AnaBench, a Web-accessible workbench environment integrating heterogeneous bioinformatics software in a flexible manner. AnaBench is based upon a three-tier distributed architecture using the CORBA middleware, Java, JDBC, and JSP technologies. A CORBA server permits transparent access to a workbench management database, which stores information about the users, their data as well as the description of all bioinformatics applications that can be launched from within the workbench.
In conclusion, AnaBench provides the user with the ability to perform sequence analysis using application-driven, data-driven, and protocol-driven approaches, and to save their biological data and results. AnaBench is accessible through the Web at: http://malawimonas.bcm.umontreal.ca:8091/anabench.