Web-based Ontology Alignment with the GeneTegra Alignment tool

Ontologies are increasingly gaining practical usage for semantic data in various ways and across multiple domains. From this growing applicability arises an ever-greater need to manage large datasets, reduce analytical complexity and efficiently as well as accurately integrate different heterogeneous ontologies into or within existing systems, all while minimizing data corruption and maintaining existing semantics. In this paper, we present the GeneTegra Alignment Tool (GT-Align), a practical implementation of the ASMOV ontology alignment algorithm within a Web-based interface, focusing on biomedical data and using Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) for the background knowledge. GT-Align allows iterative alignment of multiple ontologies as well as active user involvement throughout the process.