Master Index — the heart of the system
The Master Index module is the central hub of the entire platform. It manages study participants, their families, and the research projects they are associated with. All other modules for a given subject are accessed from this screen. Its migration is a priority, as every other module depends on it.
Clinical Data
Four modules cover the clinical and neuropsychological assessments of subjects:
- Diagnostics — entry and review of psychiatric diagnoses.
- CQDM — data from the CQDM project: inclusion and exclusion criteria, medication, lifestyle habits.
- Neuropsy — detailed neuropsychological assessments.
- Clinical Symptoms — data from the legacy application.
These modules, formerly separate Access databases, are integrated into BIGP to eliminate duplicate data entry and provide a comprehensive view per subject.
Biobanks — laboratory sample management
The Biobanksmodule manages the complete inventory of biological samples (DNA, RNA, cells) stored in laboratory freezers. It covers freezer management, sample production tracking, dilutions, and lymphocyte line history. A dashboard provides a real-time view of storage occupancy and stock levels.
Genetic Data
The Genetics module archives all subjects’ genetic data: genotypes, sequencing data, structural variants (CNVs), microsatellites, and information on genes and genomic markers. This information is link with the international reference databases (NCBI dbSNP).
Statistical Analyses
The Statistical Analyses module allows biostatisticians to generate the files needed to run genetic analyses, while maintaining a complete history of the data used in each analysis (the “snapshots”). This ensures the reproducibility of scientific results.
ERG — Electroretinography
The ERG module stores the results of electroretinographic assessments performed on subjects, generates charts from raw data, and computes the summary values used by biostatisticians.
Administration and Security
An administration module manages users, their roles, and their access permissions. Security is enforced hierarchically through an access control list (ACL), allowing read or write permissions to be defined at every level of the platform.
Hosting on Université Laval Infrastructure
Notre mandat inclut également la mise en place de l’hébergement de la nouvelle plateforme. Le site sera déployé sur l’infrastructure OpenShift de l’Université Laval. OpenShift est une plateforme d’applications basée sur Kubernetes (développée par Red Hat) qui permet de déployer et gérer des applications dans des conteneurs, de façon fiable, sécurisée et évolutive. Ce type d’infrastructure, utilisé par de nombreuses grandes organisations, garantit une haute disponibilité du service et facilite les mises à jour sans interruption. Le fait que l’hébergement soit assuré par l’Université Laval elle-même assure également que les données de recherche sensibles restent dans un environnement institutionnel contrôlé.
