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Human Genome Project Information Archive
1990–2003

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Human Genome News Archive Edition
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Human Genome News, July 1993; 5(2)

GDB Forum

GDB 5.1 Includes Accession Numbers

Genome Data Base (GDB) Version 5.1, to be released this summer, will feature:

  • IDENTIFIERS. Unique, unchanging, artificial external identifiers for all types of database entries (e.g., locus, probe, map, polymorphism, mutation, and citation) will provide rapid retrieval of individual data items without very specific queries.
  • CITATIONS OF GDB SUBMISSIONS. Authors can use accession numbers as a convenient reference to a body of submitted data, and readers can retrieve all data related to the article. This feature is especially useful for major mapping studies, in which very large amounts of data are submitted to the database.
  • DOCUMENTATION OF GDB SUBMISSIONS. Journal editors can require, as many do with GenBank and EMBL sequence data, that authors submit data to the database and include accession numbers in their manuscripts. A number of editors have already agreed in principle to support this effort, which will help ensure timely submissions to GDB.

A detailed description of how to use accession numbers will be available online in the Release Notes under News.

GDB, OMIM Now on WAIS

GDB and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) are now available on Wide Area Information Servers (WAIS) with help files that describe how to search them effectively.

GDB WAIS includes specialized databases for locus, map, probe, polymorphism, mutation, citation, and contact data. Searching provides detailed information on the primary data type and links to other kinds of data displayed in tabular form. Accession numbers allow additional searches for details about the linked entries, and a combined database returns entries from all individual databases. GDB WAIS is updated weekly during off-peak hours. OMIM WAIS, a single database of OMIM documents, is updated daily at 9 a.m. EST.

Internet Address Change

Sometime in August, Internet addresses for all GDB services will change to the domain gdb.org. For example, the technical support address will become help@gdb.org, and the Computational Biology Gopher server currently on merlot.welch.jhu.edu will be addressed as gopher.gdb.org. The precise date of the switchover and a complete list of new Internet addresses will be posted on the BIOSCI newsgroups and on the main login screens at Baltimore and GDB remote sites worldwide. Further information will be contained in the September issue of HGN.

GDB User Support, Registration

To become a registered user of GDB and OMIM, contact one of the User Support offices listed below (a user may register to access both Baltimore and a remote node). Questions, problems, or user-registration requests may be sent by telephone, fax, or e-mail. User-registration requests should include name, institutional affiliation, and title (if applicable), street address (no P.O. box numbers), telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address.

GDB, OMIM Training Schedule

Comprehensive hands-on training courses on the use of GDB and OMIM will have at least one computer work-station for two participants. Registrants will receive at least 3 weeks notice if insufficient registration causes class cancellation.

The general course for scientific users provides a basic understanding of the databases and relationships among different types of data.

Courses are free, but attendees must pay their own travel and lodging expenses. Hotel information and directions will be mailed with registration materials.

As interest in GDB continues to grow, organizations around the world will offer training that requires access to GDB in Baltimore. Notifying GDB User Support about planned training activities will enable the staff to ensure database availability by scheduling maintenance and repairs at other times.

Course Registration Information

Contact U.S. GDB User Support Office.

Course Schedule

General User Classes will be held in Baltimore on July 26-27, September 27-28, and December 6-7. No editing classes are scheduled.

Scheduled Exhibitions

17th International Congress of Genetics, Birmingham, U.K., Aug. 15-21. ASHG, New Orleans, Oct. 5-9.

User Support Offices

For easier access, HGMIS provides quick links:

United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Netherlands, Sweden

UNITED STATES
GDB User Support
Genome Data Base
Johns Hopkins University
2024 E. Monument Street
Baltimore, MD 21205-2100
410/955-7058, Fax: /614-0434
Internet: help@welch.jhu.edu

The Help Line is staffed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST for information on accounts and training courses, technical support, and data questions. Calls received after hours will be forwarded to the appropriate voice mail and returned as soon as possible. To obtain a user's local SprintNet (Telenet) number for locations within the United States: 800/736-1130.

UNITED KINGDOM
Christine Bates
Human Gene Mapping Program
Resource Center
CRC, Watford Road
Harrow, Middx HA1 3UJ, U.K.
+ 44/81-869-3446, Fax: -3807
Internet: cbates@uk.ac.crc

GERMANY
Otto Ritter
Molecular Biophysics Dept.
German Cancer Research Center
Im Neuenheimer Feld 280
D-6900 Heidelberg, Germany
+ 49/6221-42-2372, Fax: -42-2333
Internet: dbk261@cvx12.dkfz-heidelberg.de

AUSTRALIA
Alex Reisner
ANGIS
Electrical Engineering Bldg. J03
University of Sydney
Sydney, N.S.W. 2006, Australia
+ 61/2-692-2948, Fax: -3847
Internet: reisner@angis.su.oz.au

NETHERLANDS
GDB User Support
CAOS/CAMM Center, Faculty of Science
University of Nijmegen
P.O. Box 9010
6500 GL NIJMEGEN, Netherlands
+ 31/80-653391, Fax: -652977
Internet: post@caos.caos.kun.nl

SWEDEN
GDB User Support
Biomedical Center, Box 570
S-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
+ 46/18-174057, Fax: -524869
Internet: help@gdb.embnet.se

HGMIS Staff

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The electronic form of the newsletter may be cited in the following style:
Human Genome Program, U.S. Department of Energy, Human Genome News (v5n2).

Human Genome Project 1990–2003

The Human Genome Project (HGP) was an international 13-year effort, 1990 to 2003. Primary goals were to discover the complete set of human genes and make them accessible for further biological study, and determine the complete sequence of DNA bases in the human genome. See Timeline for more HGP history.

Human Genome News

Published from 1989 until 2002, this newsletter facilitated HGP communication, helped prevent duplication of research effort, and informed persons interested in genome research.