An algorithmic approach to building concept space for a scientific community

This research reports an algorithmic approach to the generation of an organizational (community) memory for a scientific community. The techniques used included object filtering, automatic indexing, and cluster analysis. The testbed for our research was the Worm Community System, which contained various forms of (C. elegans) worm-related knowledge and literature. Currently in use by molecular biologists in the C. elegans-related research community. The resulting organizational memory was represented as a knowledge base (or frame-based thesaurus). It included 2,709 researchers' names, 798 gene names, 20 experimental methods, and 4,302 subject descriptors.<>