Our Client's lead optimization team uses screening data to guide synthetic steps in lead series progression. The scientists perform searches across the compound registration system, screening result database, and an additional safety assay database.
Different databases need to be searched simultaneously.
The three data sources exist separately and have separate user interfaces, which makes simultaneous searching in them difficult if not impossible. A number of predefined "templated" search queries had been created for scientists by research IT and the vendors but there was no flexible query capability.
A self-service search portal.
For flexible searching, attempts to "quickly" bridge the databases led to an increased support burden on the IT team. The scientists just went to the research IT team with most their daily search questions. Ad-hoc scripts were written but eventually it became clear that a self-service web portal had to be created for use by everyone.
Collaboratively with our Client we designed and implemented a fast web application for federated searching. The screening team can now instantly and iteratively create flexible queries on their own using a minimalistic, fast, point-and-click user interface. They now obtain answers to their questions in seconds. All search definitions and search results are stored in the application for each user. Users can return and retrieve their historical result sets at any time.
