Victorian e-Research Strategic Initiative (VeRSI) Project

The Victorian e-Research Strategic Initiative (VeRSI) project is a collaboration between Monash University, The University of Melbourne, LaTrobe University, the Victorian Department of Primary Industry (DPI) and VPAC. It is funded by the State Government of Victoria through its Life Sciences Statement Healthy Futures.  The objectives of the VeRSI project are:

• Storage infrastructure
  Build a prototype of the Victorian regional layer for a future Australian national research data storage infrastructure.  Distributed data storage and access facilities will be implemented at Clayton, Parkville and Bundoora in support of the VeRSI Life Sciences, Virtual Beam Line and other projects.
  
  
• Information access control systems
  Develop e-Research systems, procedures and software technologies to facilitate information access, security, rights management and intellectual property management.
  
  
• Virtual Beam Line (VBL)
  Build a remote presence capability for the Australian Synchrotron so that remote researchers, e.g. in Queensland, Western Australia or further afield, can participate in experiments at the synchrotron in real time.
  
  
• Life Sciences projects
  Apply e-Research techniques and provide professional IT support for 8 major life sciences research activities of Monash University and The University of Melbourne:
  
  
  • Mouse Brain Map
  • Laboratory Data Management
  • Genomic Dataset Mining
  • Uro-oncology Informatics Grid
  • Ambulatory Motion Studies
  • Distributed Radiotherapy Planning System
  • Neuro imaging
  • Bio21 Sesame Interface

Ecoinformatics Platform and Application Demonstrator
At VeRSI stage 2, Monash University will collaborate with LaTrobe University and DPI to develop a collaborative online platform to undertake ecosystems and climate change research.

Support and training
Support, training and outreach activities are an integral component of all the above projects. In addition, a number of workshops, tutorials and training activities about e-Research technologies will be conducted. So keep an eye on the VeRSI web site for upcoming events.

The project co-ordinator for Monash is Neil Clarke.  For further information, contactVeRSI.  The full version of the VeRSI proposal is available from the VeRSI web site.