Ontologies of Cellular Networks

Robert Arp^* and Barry Smith. National Center for Biomedical Ontology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA. A report on the workshop "Ontologies of Cellular Networks," Newark, New Jersey, 27 to 28 March 2008.

As part of a series of workshops on different aspects of biomedical ontology sponsored by the NCBO, a workshop titled "Ontologies of Cellular Networks" took place in Newark, New Jersey, on 27 to 28 March 2008. This workshop included more than 30 participants from various backgrounds in biomedicine and bioinformatics. The goal of the workshop was to provide an introduction to the basic tools and methods of ontology, as well as to enhance coordination between groups already working on ontologies of cellular networks. The meeting focused on three questions: What is an ontology? What is a pathway? What is a cellular network?