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The Environmental Change Unit at Oxford University have won a top award for a project aimed at extracting "nuggets of data" from large databases.

The unit suggested using Clementine software to "data mine" for useful information which could help predict future incidence and distribution patterns for asthma.

Judges for Integral Solutions Goldrush of '95 competition looked for best use of the software in three categories. Entrants had to suggest potential uses within their own organisation.

Data mining involves extracting high-value information from the masses of data which most organisations accumulate automatically. Clementine 2.0 allows the user to deploy this "hidden" information for forecasting, prediction, estimation and decision support.

ISL received a large number of entries from prospective data miners. Most worthy application came from the Oxford unit. The winners receive free places on ISL's two-day data mining course in September. The Environmental Change Unit will receive free Clementine software worth Pounds 12,500.