ONDEX – A data integration framework for the life sciences Dissertation zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades eines Doktors der Naturwissenschaften Eingereicht an der Technischen Fakultät der Universität Bielefeld von Jan Taubert Dipl. Inform. Jan Taubert „ONDEX – A data integration framework for the life sciences“ Dissertation Print: Bielefeld, Februar 2011 Gedruckt auf alterungsbeständigem Papier °° ISO 9706 Technische Fakultät der Universität Bielefeld AG Bioinformatik, Prof. Dr. Ralf Hofestädt Rothamsted Research, United Kingdom Centre for Mathematical and Computational Biology, Prof. Christopher Rawlings Ph.D. Title page: Ondex Logo, courtesy of the Ondex SABR project 2008 A DNA double helix is connecting nodes in a network as a metaphor for applying mathematical and computational methods to problems in biology. http://www.ondex.org Acknowledgements I would like to thank all my supervisors Prof. Dr. Ralf Hofestädt, Dr. Jacob Köhler and Prof. Dr. Christopher Rawlings for their valuable input and support. Without it, this work would have never been completed. In particular, I would like to thank Prof. Dr. Ralf Hofestädt for having me as an external member of the AG Bioinformatics at University of Bielefeld since my undergraduate studies, Dr. Jacob Köhler as my early mentor and his invaluable help, ideas and advice with creating the ONDEX system and Prof. Dr.