Dr. Jack W. London

Application of Medical Informatics to Cancer Research

One area of Dr. London's research efforts is focused on the application of computer and telecommunications technology to cancer clinical trials research. This involves the development of software to acquire, present and store relevant patient data, including radiographic study and pathology tissue specimen images. The acquisition of the data requires local and wide area network communications. Databases are created in a manner that results in efficient data storage and retrieval. Applications are created for Internet dissemination of cancer treatment information. Dr. London's group has applied Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) midbandwidth telecommunications technology to telemedicine. Personal computer-based videoconferencing workstations have been implemented for remote medical consultations over ISDN, regarding the clinical trials eligibility and treatment of cancer patients at distant community hospitals. The suitability of these low cost telemedicine workstations and communication links has been demonstrated by this work.

Dr. London is also developing techniques for automating the complex process of monitoring patients' cancer clinical trial treatment. A pilot study of a system which creates and tracks the schedule of treatment events for a protocol patient is currently underway.

Another area of research is the development of Intranet-based translational research data acquisition systems. It involves the utilization of an Intranet to acquire research data from multiple laboratories and clinical departments associated with a program project. The data from the basic science and clinical investigators of several translational research projects at the Kimmel Cancer Center are being acquired by these techniques. The goal is to facilitate data entry, while providing secure access to all the laboratories' data for comprehensive analysis and review.