Open-source Software Sustainability Models: Initial White Paper From the Informatics Technology for Cancer Research Sustainability and Industry Partnership Working Group.

Background: The National Cancer Institute Informatics Technology for Cancer Research (ITCR) program provides a series of funding mechanisms to create an ecosystem of open-source software (OSS) that serves the needs of cancer research. As the ITCR ecosystem substantially grows, it faces the challenge of the long-term sustainability of the software being developed by ITCR grantees. To address this challenge, the ITCR sustainability and industry partnership working group (SIP-WG) was convened in 2019.

Hydroxymethylation at gene regulatory regions directs stem/early progenitor cell commitment during erythropoiesis.

Hematopoietic stem cell differentiation involves the silencing of self-renewal genes and induction of a specific transcriptional program. Identification of multiple covalent cytosine modifications raises the question of how these derivatized bases influence stem cell commitment. Using a replicative primary human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell differentiation system, we demonstrate dynamic changes of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC) during stem cell commitment and differentiation to the erythroid lineage.

Utilisation of a thoracic oncology database to capture radiological and pathological images for evaluation of response to chemotherapy in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Objective: An area of need in cancer informatics is the ability to store images in a comprehensive database as part of translational cancer research. To meet this need, we have implemented a novel tandem database infrastructure that facilitates image storage and utilisation.

Background: We had previously implemented the Thoracic Oncology Program Database Project (TOPDP) database for our translational cancer research needs.