Slim-Prim: an integrated data system for clinical and translational research

Background

Translational science provides opportunities for basic and clinical research scientists to address healthcare problems collaboratively. However, data from different research domains present disparate storage and accessibility issues due to data heterogeneity and size. Increasingly, centralized data storage and maintenance options are utilized to overcome these problems. The Biomedical Informatics Unit of the UT-CTSI has developed a scalable and modular integrated data system (IDS), the Slim-Prim system (Scientific Laboratory & Patient-care Research Information Management), to address these issues.

Materials and methods

Slim-Prim is a relational database acting as a clinical trial data management interface and archival data repository. Data access is provided through user-friendly web-applications. Slim-Prim provides secure, centralized data storage and analytic services to clinical and basic science researchers at UTHSC. Data integrity is monitored via powerful built-in analytic tools. The system is customizable, allowing batch import of large datasets and integration with ongoing studies. Export functions allow data to be extracted to third party analysis software. Importantly, administrative tools allow the PI of any dataset to control access to their data. Collaboration is an essential aspect of translational research, and Slim-Prim fosters a collaborative environment via HIPAA compliant data sharing via secure web applications.