Object oriented database and electronic notebook for transmission electron microscopy

As high-resolution biological transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has increased in popularity over recent years, the volume of data and number of projects underway has risen dramatically. A robust tool for effective data management is essential to efficiently process large data sets and extract maximum information from the available data. We present the Electron Microscopy Electronic Notebook (EMEN), a portable, object-oriented, web-based tool for TEM data archival and project management. EMEN has several unique features. First, the database is logically organized and annotated so multiple collaborators at different geographical locations can easily access and interpret the data without assistance. Second, the database was designed to provide flexibility to the user, so it can be used much as a lab notebook would be, while maintaining a structure suitable for data mining and direct interaction with data-processing software. Finally, as an object-oriented database, the database structure is dynamic and can be easily extended to incorporate information not defined in the original database specification.