diff --git a/lib/DataHarmonizer.js b/lib/DataHarmonizer.js
index 8edea6db..f554a243 100644
--- a/lib/DataHarmonizer.js
+++ b/lib/DataHarmonizer.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {
   dataArrayToObject,
   dataObjectToArray,
   fieldUnitBinTest,
+  getFieldSettingsFromUiConfig,
 } from './utils/fields';
 import { parseDatatype } from './utils/datatypes';
 import {
@@ -51,8 +52,9 @@ class DataHarmonizer {
     this.schema = options.schema;
     this.loadingScreenRoot = options.loadingScreenRoot || this.root;
     this.modalsRoot = options.modalsRoot || document.querySelector('body');
-    this.field_settings = options.fieldSettings || {};
-    this.self = this;
+
+    const fieldSettings = getFieldSettingsFromUiConfig(options.uiConfig);
+    this.field_settings = Object.assign(fieldSettings, options.fieldSettings);
 
     this.injectLoadingScreen();
 
diff --git a/lib/utils/fields.js b/lib/utils/fields.js
index 04308ad6..a3ea688b 100644
--- a/lib/utils/fields.js
+++ b/lib/utils/fields.js
@@ -98,3 +98,62 @@ export function dataObjectToArray(dataObject, fields, options = {}) {
   }
   return dataArray;
 }
+
+function olsAutocompleteFieldSettings(config) {
+  const { ontology } = config;
+  return {
+    getColumn: (dh, col) => {
+      let timer = null;
+      return {
+        ...col,
+        type: 'autocomplete',
+        strict: true,
+        allowInvalid: false,
+        sortByRelevance: false,
+        source: (query, next) => {
+          clearTimeout(timer);
+          if (!query) {
+            return next([]);
+          }
+          timer = setTimeout(() => {
+            fetch(
+              `https://www.ebi.ac.uk/ols/api/select?q=${query}&ontology=${ontology}&type=class&rows=50`
+            )
+              .then((response) => {
+                if (!response.ok) {
+                  throw new Error('API Error: ' + response.status);
+                }
+                return response.json();
+              })
+              .then((body) => {
+                const options = body.response.docs.map((doc) => doc.label);
+                next(options);
+              })
+              .catch(() => {
+                next([]);
+              });
+          }, 300);
+        },
+      };
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+const WIDGET_REGISTRY = {
+  'ols-autocomplete': olsAutocompleteFieldSettings,
+};
+
+export function getFieldSettingsFromUiConfig(uiConfig) {
+  const fieldSettings = {};
+  if (uiConfig && uiConfig.fields) {
+    for (const [field, config] of Object.entries(uiConfig.fields)) {
+      if (config.widget in WIDGET_REGISTRY) {
+        const settingsFn = WIDGET_REGISTRY[config.widget];
+        fieldSettings[field] = settingsFn(config);
+      } else {
+        console.warn(`Unknown widget type: ${config.widget}`);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return fieldSettings;
+}
diff --git a/web/index.js b/web/index.js
index 1f464b9e..78d78251 100644
--- a/web/index.js
+++ b/web/index.js
@@ -9,8 +9,20 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function () {
   const dhFooterRoot = document.querySelector('#data-harmonizer-footer');
   const dhToolbarRoot = document.querySelector('#data-harmonizer-toolbar');
 
+  // this is defined inline for convenience but could just as easily be
+  // imported from a JSON file
+  const uiConfig = {
+    fields: {
+      'third party lab service provider name': {
+        widget: 'ols-autocomplete',
+        ontology: 'zfa,zfs',
+      },
+    },
+  };
+
   const dh = new DataHarmonizer(dhRoot, {
     loadingScreenRoot: document.querySelector('body'),
+    uiConfig: uiConfig,
   });
 
   new Footer(dhFooterRoot, dh);