A new article highlighting the approach on the data nodes infrastructure used in the EUCAN-Connect project has recently been published.
Novel data collection tools, methods and new techniques in biotechnology can facilitate improved health strategies that are customised to each individual. One key challenge to achieve this is to take advantage of the massive volumes of personal anonymous data, relating each profile to health and disease, while accounting for high diversity in individuals, populations and environments. These data must be analysed in unison to achieve statistical power, but presently cohort data repositories are scattered, hard to search and integrate, and data protection and governance rules discourage central pooling.
In order to tackle data integration and harmonization challenges while preserving privacy, a new approach has been developed based on an open, scalable data platform for cohorts, researchers and networks. It incorporates the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) for optimal reuse of existing data, and builds on maturing federated technologies, where sensitive data is kept locally with only aggregate results being shared and integrated, in line with key ELSI (Ethical, Legal and Societal Issues) and governance guidelines.
Read the article here.
