An ad hoc committee will plan and conduct a public workshop, whose agenda will examine the informatics needs and challenges for 21stcentury biomedical research, with a focus on the spectrum of cancer research, ranging from basic science to clinical, comparative effectiveness, and health services delivery research. A particular emphasis will be placed on discussions concerning how to move beyond the reported shortcomings of NCI’s Cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIG). The workshop, which will feature invited presentations and discussion, will address such topics as:
· design, development, and integration of informatics in cancer research;
· standards for cancer informatics systems;
· interoperability and harmonization;
· infrastructure needs for research;
· data annotation and curation of multiple complex data sets;
· methods for data use and representation;
· the implications of implementing effective informatics tools for research; and,
· sustainability, governance, policy and trust.

Workshop sessions will also include some discussion about how to move beyond the reported shortcomings of NCI's Cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIG).
The workshop may incorporate illustrative “use cases” reflecting common research applications that rely on informatics, and will include discussion of potential policy changes to facilitate effective implementation, adoption, and use of informatics tools in cancer research. An individually-authored summary of the workshop will subsequently be prepared by a designated rapporteur.