Application of Standard Semantic Web Services and Workflow Technologies in the SIMDAT Pharma Grid

The SIMDAT Pharma Grid is an industry-oriented, semantics enabled Grid environment whose purpose, among others, is to intelligently assist Biologists in conducting in-silico experiments through automating discovery, selection, composition, and invocation process of bioinformatics data services and analysis services. In the first system architecture design and prototype implementation, we apply sets of standard Semantic Web services and workflow technologies, in particular OWL, OWL-S, UDDI, and XScufl/Freefluo, to ensure interoperability, reusability, and maintainability of the system. In this position paper, we report on our current experiences regarding the benefits and drawbacks of leveraging these standard technologies in bioinformatics Grid applications.