Unlock the Power of Pharmaceutical Experiments Data: How Ontologies Are Revolutionizing Collaboration
In the fast-paced world of biopharmaceutical manufacturing, innovation hinges on effective collaboration and insightful data analysis. Yet, a significant challenge often stands in the way: disparate data sources, varying formats, and the sheer effort required to bring them together.
Imagine a scenario where three different organizations—like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), and NIIMBL—are collaborating on a crucial Design of Experiments. A Design of Experiments is a structured approach to planning and analyzing experiments to understand how multiple variables impact an outcome. In one such collaboration, the focus was on monoclonal antibodies (mAb) developed at NIST, with each site producing data related to mAb, particularly glycan data.
The Data Integration Dilemma
The problem arises when these collaborators need to compare and integrate their findings. Even though they are working on the same project, the data is often presented in Excel spreadsheets with varying structures, equipment, and run lengths, reflecting the preferences of individual collaborators. Currently, a person manually integrates this data, which can take an average of 60 hours for each site’s data just to organize it for analysis. As the number of experiments, sites, and data points grows, this problem becomes exponentially more difficult. This manual process is not only time-consuming but also prone to errors and hinders the ability to quickly derive insights and make informed decisions.
The Solution: Knowledge Graphs powered by Standard Ontologies
This is where knowledge graphs come into play. An ontology provides a common language and structure for data, regardless of its original format or source. It defines the relationships and meanings within your data, effectively homogenizing information from multiple experiments and sites, even if it comes in different formats.
The National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) recognized this critical need. They spearheaded the development of the NIIMBL Ontology, which has since evolved into the open-source Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Industry Council (BMIC) Ontology, modularized and contributed to the Industrial Ontologies Foundry (IOF).
Connecting Disparate Information with the BMIC Ontology
With the BMIC Ontology, the collaboration between NIST, BTEC, and NIIMBL on the DOE project could be transformed. Instead of manual integration, the ontology provides a framework to connect disparate Design of Experiments information. It allows for a knowledge graph to be built from multiple experiments and sites, even when dealing with multiple data formats.
By implementing an ontology-driven approach, organizations can:
Eliminate Manual Data Integration: Dramatically reduce the 60+ hours per site spent on organizing data for comparison.
Enhance Collaboration: Enable seamless data comparison and review across different sites (like NIST, BTEC, and NIIMBL) without needing a person to manually integrate disparate information.
Accelerate Insights: Move from data organization to data analysis much faster, leading to quicker decision-making and optimization of biomanufacturing processes.
Scale with Ease: The system becomes exponentially easier to manage, even with more experiments, sites, and data, unlike the manual process which becomes exponentially more difficult.
This shift from fragmented spreadsheets to an integrated, semantically rich knowledge graph is not just about efficiency; it's about unlocking the full potential of your R&D and manufacturing data. It ensures that valuable insights are not lost in the complexities of data silos, paving the way for truly collaborative and innovative biopharmaceutical development.
About Crown Point
Crown Point Technologies is a leader in leveraging standard ontologies to create powerful knowledge graphs, with extensive experience in the pharmaceutical, aerospace, and defense industries.