1
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Sanchez Gonzalez MDC, Kamerling P, Iermito M, Casati S, Riaz U, Veal CD, Maini M, Jeanson F, Benhamed OM, van Enckevort E, Landi A, Mimouni Y, Le Cornec C, Coviello DA, Franchin T, Fusco F, Ramírez García JA, van der Zanden LFM, Bernier A, Wilkinson MD, Mueller H, Gibson SJ, Brookes AJ. Common conditions of use elements. Atomic concepts for consistent and effective information governance. Sci Data 2024; 11:465. [PMID: 38719810 PMCID: PMC11078919 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03279-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Myriad policy, ethical and legal considerations underpin the sharing of biological resources, implying the need for standardised and yet flexible ways to digitally represent diverse 'use conditions'. We report a core lexicon of terms that are atomic, non-directional 'concepts of use', called Common Conditions of use Elements. This work engaged biobanks and registries relevant to the European Joint Programme for Rare Diseases and aimed to produce a lexicon that would have generalised utility. Seventy-six concepts were initially identified from diverse real-world settings, and via iterative rounds of deliberation and user-testing these were optimised and condensed down to 20 items. To validate utility, support software and training information was provided to biobanks and registries who were asked to create Sharing Policy Profiles. This succeeded and involved adding standardised directionality and scope annotations to the employed terms. The addition of free-text parameters was also explored. The approach is now being adopted by several real-world projects, enabling this standard to evolve progressively into a universal basis for representing and managing conditions of use.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pim Kamerling
- VASCERN ERN & Radboud University Medical Center - Center for Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 26-28 (route 260), 6525 GA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Mariapia Iermito
- Istituto Neurologico "Carlo Besta" |, Fondazione IRCCS Via Giovanni Celoria, 11, 20133, Milano, MI, Italy
| | - Sara Casati
- BBMRI-ERIC, Neue Stiftingtalstrasse 2/B/6, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Umar Riaz
- Dept. Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Colin D Veal
- Dept. Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Monika Maini
- Dept. Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Francis Jeanson
- Ontario Brain Institute, Centre for Analytics, 1 Richmond St. West, Suite 400, Toronto, Ontario, M5H3W4, Canada
| | - Oussama Mohammed Benhamed
- Departamento de Biotecnología-Biología Vegetal, ETSI Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (CBGP, UPM-INIA/CSIC), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, 28040, Spain
| | - Esther van Enckevort
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, Nederland
| | - Annalisa Landi
- Fondazione per la Ricerca Farmacologica Gianni Benzi onlus, Via Giulio Petroni, 91/D, 70124, Bari, Italy
| | - Yanis Mimouni
- Thematic Institute of Genetics, Genomics & Bioinformatics, INSERM, Paris, 75013, France
| | - Clèmence Le Cornec
- Pediatric Nephrology Division, Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospita, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Domenico A Coviello
- Dept. Laboratory of Human Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via Gerolamo Gaslini 5, 16147, Genova, Italy
| | - Tiziana Franchin
- Research Biobank, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Fusco
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "Adriano Buzzati- Traverso" IGB-ABT, Department of Biomedical Sciences (DSB), National Research Council (CNR), Via P. Castellino 111, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Jose Antonio Ramírez García
- Pediatric Nephrology Division, Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospita, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Loes F M van der Zanden
- ERN for Rare Urogenital Diseases and Complex Conditions (ERN eUROGEN), department of Urology & IQ Health science department, Radboud university medical center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Alexander Bernier
- Centre of Genomics and Policy, McGill University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, 740, avenue Dr. Penfield, suite 5200, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0G1, Canada
| | - Mark D Wilkinson
- Departamento de Biotecnología-Biología Vegetal, ETSI Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (CBGP, UPM-INIA/CSIC), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, 28040, Spain
| | - Heimo Mueller
- BBMRI-ERIC, Neue Stiftingtalstrasse 2/B/6, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Spencer J Gibson
- Dept. Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK.
| | - Anthony J Brookes
- Dept. Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
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2
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Jeanson F, Gibson SJ, Alper P, Bernier A, Woolley JP, Mietchen D, Strug A, Becker R, Kamerling P, Sanchez Gonzalez MDC, Mah N, Novakowski A, Wilkinson MD, Benhamed OM, Landi A, Krog GP, Müller H, Riaz U, Veal C, Holub P, van Enckevort E, Brookes AJ. Getting your DUCs in a row - standardising the representation of Digital Use Conditions. Sci Data 2024; 11:464. [PMID: 38719839 PMCID: PMC11078994 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03280-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Improving patient care and advancing scientific discovery requires responsible sharing of research data, healthcare records, biosamples, and biomedical resources that must also respect applicable use conditions. Defining a standard to structure and manage these use conditions is a complex and challenging task. This is exemplified by a near unlimited range of asset types, a high variability of applicable conditions, and differing applications at the individual or collective level. Furthermore, the specifics and granularity required are likely to vary depending on the ultimate contexts of use. All these factors confound alignment of institutional missions, funding objectives, regulatory and technical requirements to facilitate effective sharing. The presented work highlights the complexity and diversity of the problem, reviews the current state of the art, and emphasises the need for a flexible and adaptable approach. We propose Digital Use Conditions (DUC) as a framework that addresses these needs by leveraging existing standards, striking a balance between expressiveness versus ambiguity, and considering the breadth of applicable information with their context of use.
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Grants
- 825575 EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Societal Challenges | H2020 Health (H2020 Societal Challenges - Health, Demographic Change and Well-being)
- 825575 EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Societal Challenges | H2020 Health (H2020 Societal Challenges - Health, Demographic Change and Well-being)
- 825575 EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Societal Challenges | H2020 Health (H2020 Societal Challenges - Health, Demographic Change and Well-being)
- 825575 EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Societal Challenges | H2020 Health (H2020 Societal Challenges - Health, Demographic Change and Well-being)
- 825575 EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Societal Challenges | H2020 Health (H2020 Societal Challenges - Health, Demographic Change and Well-being)
- 825575 EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Societal Challenges | H2020 Health (H2020 Societal Challenges - Health, Demographic Change and Well-being)
- 825575 EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Societal Challenges | H2020 Health (H2020 Societal Challenges - Health, Demographic Change and Well-being)
- 825575 EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Societal Challenges | H2020 Health (H2020 Societal Challenges - Health, Demographic Change and Well-being)
- 825575 EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Societal Challenges | H2020 Health (H2020 Societal Challenges - Health, Demographic Change and Well-being)
- 825575 EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Societal Challenges | H2020 Health (H2020 Societal Challenges - Health, Demographic Change and Well-being)
- 825575 EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Societal Challenges | H2020 Health (H2020 Societal Challenges - Health, Demographic Change and Well-being)
- 825575 EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Societal Challenges | H2020 Health (H2020 Societal Challenges - Health, Demographic Change and Well-being)
- 825575 EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Societal Challenges | H2020 Health (H2020 Societal Challenges - Health, Demographic Change and Well-being)
- Algerian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
- The European Reference Network on Rare Multisystemic Vascular Diseases (VASCERN), which is partly co-funded by the European Union within the framework of the EU4Health programme – “VASCERN Action Grant".
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis Jeanson
- Centre for Analytics, Ontario Brain Institute, Toronto, Canada.
| | - Spencer J Gibson
- Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Pinar Alper
- Luxembourg National Data Service, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Alexander Bernier
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - J Patrick Woolley
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Andrzej Strug
- Medical Laboratory Diagnostics Department, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Regina Becker
- University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Pim Kamerling
- Center for Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, VASCERN ERN /Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | | | - Nancy Mah
- Biomedical Data & Bioethics Group, Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Sulzbach/Saar, Germany
| | | | - Mark D Wilkinson
- Departamento de Biotecnología-Biología Vegetal, ETSI Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (CBGP, UPM-INIA/CSIC), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Oussama Mohammed Benhamed
- Departamento de Biotecnología-Biología Vegetal, ETSI Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas, Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (CBGP, UPM-INIA/CSIC), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Annalisa Landi
- Research, Fondazione per la Ricerca Farmacologica Gianni Benzi Onlus, Bari, Italy
| | | | | | - Umar Riaz
- Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Colin Veal
- Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Petr Holub
- BBMRI-ERIC, Graz, Austria
- Institute of Computer Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Esther van Enckevort
- University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
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3
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Consent Codes: Maintaining Consent in an Ever-expanding Open Science Ecosystem. Neuroinformatics 2023; 21:89-100. [PMID: 36520344 PMCID: PMC9931855 DOI: 10.1007/s12021-022-09577-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
We previously proposed a structure for recording consent-based data use 'categories' and 'requirements' - Consent Codes - with a view to supporting maximum use and integration of genomic research datasets, and reducing uncertainty about permissible re-use of shared data. Here we discuss clarifications and subsequent updates to the Consent Codes (v4) based on new areas of application (e.g., the neurosciences, biobanking, H3Africa), policy developments (e.g., return of research results), and further practical considerations, including developments in automated approaches to consent management.
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4
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Policies to regulate data sharing of cohorts via data infrastructures: An interview study with funding agencies. Int J Med Inform 2022; 168:104900. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2022.104900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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5
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Boycott KM, Hartley T, Kernohan KD, Dyment DA, Howley H, Innes AM, Bernier FP, Brudno M. Care4Rare Canada: Outcomes from a decade of network science for rare disease gene discovery. Am J Hum Genet 2022; 109:1947-1959. [PMID: 36332610 PMCID: PMC9674964 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2022.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The past decade has witnessed a rapid evolution in rare disease (RD) research, fueled by the availability of genome-wide (exome and genome) sequencing. In 2011, as this transformative technology was introduced to the research community, the Care4Rare Canada Consortium was launched: initially as FORGE, followed by Care4Rare, and Care4Rare SOLVE. Over what amounted to three eras of diagnosis and discovery, the Care4Rare Consortium used exome sequencing and, more recently, genome and other 'omic technologies to identify the molecular cause of unsolved RDs. We achieved a diagnostic yield of 34% (623/1,806 of participating families), including the discovery of deleterious variants in 121 genes not previously associated with disease, and we continue to study candidate variants in novel genes for 145 families. The Consortium has made significant contributions to RD research, including development of platforms for data collection and sharing and instigating a Canadian network to catalyze functional characterization research of novel genes. The Consortium was instrumental to implementing genome-wide sequencing as a publicly funded test for RD diagnosis in Canada. Despite the successes of the past decade, the challenge of solving all RDs remains enormous, and the work is far from over. We must leverage clinical and 'omic data for secondary use, develop tools and policies to support safe data sharing, continue to explore the utility of new and emerging technologies, and optimize research protocols to delineate complex disease mechanisms. Successful approaches in each of these realms is required to offer diagnostic clarity to all families with RDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kym M. Boycott
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada,Corresponding author
| | - Taila Hartley
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Kristin D. Kernohan
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - David A. Dyment
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Heather Howley
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - A. Micheil Innes
- Department of Medical Genetics and Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Francois P. Bernier
- Department of Medical Genetics and Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Michael Brudno
- Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 2E4, Canada
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6
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Rahimzadeh V, Lawson J, Rushton G, Dove ES. Leveraging Algorithms to Improve Decision-Making Workflows for Genomic Data Access and Management. Biopreserv Biobank 2022; 20:429-435. [PMID: 35772014 PMCID: PMC9603251 DOI: 10.1089/bio.2022.0042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies on the ethics of automating clinical or research decision making using artificial intelligence and other algorithmic tools abound. Less attention has been paid, however, to the scope for, and ethics of, automating decision making within regulatory apparatuses governing the access, use, and exchange of data involving humans for research. In this article, we map how the binary logic flows and real-time capabilities of automated decision support (ADS) systems may be leveraged to accelerate one rate-limiting step in scientific discovery: data access management. We contend that improved auditability, consistency, and efficiency of the data access request process using ADS systems have the potential to yield fairer outcomes in requests for data largely sourced from biospecimens and biobanked samples. This procedural justice rationale reinforces a broader set of participant and data subject rights that data access committees (DACs) indirectly protect. DACs protect the rights of citizens to benefit from science by bringing researchers closer to the data they need to advance that science. DACs also protect the informational dignities of individuals and communities by ensuring the data being accessed are used in ways consistent with participant values. We discuss the development of the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health Data Use Ontology standard as a test case of ADS for genomic data access management specifically, and we synthesize relevant ethical, legal, and social challenges to its implementation in practice. We conclude with an agenda of future research needed to thoughtfully advance strategies for computational governance that endeavor to instill public trust in, and maximize the scientific value of, health-related human data across data types, environments, and user communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasiliki Rahimzadeh
- Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Jonathan Lawson
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Greg Rushton
- Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Edward S Dove
- School of Law, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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7
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Driver HG, Hartley T, Price EM, Turinsky AL, Buske OJ, Osmond M, Ramani AK, Kirby E, Kernohan KD, Couse M, Elrick H, Lu K, Mashouri P, Mohan A, So D, Klamann C, Le HGBH, Herscovich A, Marshall CR, Statia A, Canada Consortium C, Knoppers BM, Brudno M, Boycott KM. Genomics4RD: An integrated platform to share Canadian deep-phenotype and multiomic data for international rare disease gene discovery. Hum Mutat 2022; 43:800-811. [PMID: 35181971 PMCID: PMC9311832 DOI: 10.1002/humu.24354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Despite recent progress in the understanding of the genetic etiologies of rare diseases (RDs), a significant number remain intractable to diagnostic and discovery efforts. Broad data collection and sharing of information among RD researchers is therefore critical. In 2018, the Care4Rare Canada Consortium launched the project C4R‐SOLVE, a subaim of which was to collect, harmonize, and share both retrospective and prospective Canadian clinical and multiomic data. Here, we introduce Genomics4RD, an integrated web‐accessible platform to share Canadian phenotypic and multiomic data between researchers, both within Canada and internationally, for the purpose of discovering the mechanisms that cause RDs. Genomics4RD has been designed to standardize data collection and processing, and to help users systematically collect, prioritize, and visualize participant information. Data storage, authorization, and access procedures have been developed in collaboration with policy experts and stakeholders to ensure the trusted and secure access of data by external researchers. The breadth and standardization of data offered by Genomics4RD allows researchers to compare candidate disease genes and variants between participants (i.e., matchmaking) for discovery purposes, while facilitating the development of computational approaches for multiomic data analyses and enabling clinical translation efforts for new genetic technologies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah G. Driver
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research InstituteUniversity of OttawaOttawaCanada
| | - Taila Hartley
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research InstituteUniversity of OttawaOttawaCanada
| | - E. Magda Price
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research InstituteUniversity of OttawaOttawaCanada
| | - Andrei L. Turinsky
- Centre for Computational MedicineThe Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
| | | | - Matthew Osmond
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research InstituteUniversity of OttawaOttawaCanada
| | - Arun K. Ramani
- Centre for Computational MedicineThe Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
| | - Emily Kirby
- Centre of Genomics and PolicyMcGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Kristin D. Kernohan
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research InstituteUniversity of OttawaOttawaCanada
- Newborn Screening OntarioChildren's Hospital of Eastern OntarioOttawaCanada
- Genomics4RD Steering CommitteeChildren's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research InstituteOttawaCanada
| | - Madeline Couse
- Centre for Computational MedicineThe Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
| | - Hillary Elrick
- Centre for Computational MedicineThe Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
| | - Kevin Lu
- Centre for Computational MedicineThe Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
| | - Pouria Mashouri
- Centre for Computational MedicineThe Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
| | - Aarthi Mohan
- Centre for Computational MedicineThe Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
| | - Delvin So
- Centre for Computational MedicineThe Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
| | - Conor Klamann
- Centre for Computational MedicineThe Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
| | - Hannah G. B. H. Le
- Centre for Computational MedicineThe Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
| | - Andrea Herscovich
- Genomics4RD Steering CommitteeChildren's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research InstituteOttawaCanada
| | - Christian R. Marshall
- Genomics4RD Steering CommitteeChildren's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research InstituteOttawaCanada
- Genome DiagnosticsThe Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
| | - Andrew Statia
- Genomics4RD Steering CommitteeChildren's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research InstituteOttawaCanada
| | | | | | - Michael Brudno
- PhenoTips, The Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
- Genomics4RD Steering CommitteeChildren's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research InstituteOttawaCanada
- Techna InstituteUniversity Health NetworkTorontoCanada
- Department of Computer ScienceUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Kym M. Boycott
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research InstituteUniversity of OttawaOttawaCanada
- Genomics4RD Steering CommitteeChildren's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research InstituteOttawaCanada
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8
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Freeberg MA, Fromont LA, D’Altri T, Romero AF, Ciges J, Jene A, Kerry G, Moldes M, Ariosa R, Bahena S, Barrowdale D, Barbero M, Fernandez-Orth D, Garcia-Linares C, Garcia-Rios E, Haziza F, Juhasz B, Llobet O, Milla G, Mohan A, Rueda M, Sankar A, Shaju D, Shimpi A, Singh B, Thomas C, de la Torre S, Uyan U, Vasallo C, Flicek P, Guigo R, Navarro A, Parkinson H, Keane T, Rambla J. The European Genome-phenome Archive in 2021. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:D980-D987. [PMID: 34791407 PMCID: PMC8728218 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab1059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The European Genome-phenome Archive (EGA - https://ega-archive.org/) is a resource for long term secure archiving of all types of potentially identifiable genetic, phenotypic, and clinical data resulting from biomedical research projects. Its mission is to foster hosted data reuse, enable reproducibility, and accelerate biomedical and translational research in line with the FAIR principles. Launched in 2008, the EGA has grown quickly, currently archiving over 4,500 studies from nearly one thousand institutions. The EGA operates a distributed data access model in which requests are made to the data controller, not to the EGA, therefore, the submitter keeps control on who has access to the data and under which conditions. Given the size and value of data hosted, the EGA is constantly improving its value chain, that is, how the EGA can contribute to enhancing the value of human health data by facilitating its submission, discovery, access, and distribution, as well as leading the design and implementation of standards and methods necessary to deliver the value chain. The EGA has become a key GA4GH Driver Project, leading multiple development efforts and implementing new standards and tools, and has been appointed as an ELIXIR Core Data Resource.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mallory Ann Freeberg
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Lauren A Fromont
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Teresa D’Altri
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Anna Foix Romero
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Jorge Izquierdo Ciges
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Aina Jene
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Giselle Kerry
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Mauricio Moldes
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Roberto Ariosa
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Silvia Bahena
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Daniel Barrowdale
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Marcos Casado Barbero
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Dietmar Fernandez-Orth
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Carles Garcia-Linares
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Emilio Garcia-Rios
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Frédéric Haziza
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Bela Juhasz
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Oscar Martinez Llobet
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Gemma Milla
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Anand Mohan
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Manuel Rueda
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Aravind Sankar
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Dona Shaju
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Ashutosh Shimpi
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Babita Singh
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Coline Thomas
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Sabela de la Torre
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Umuthan Uyan
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Claudia Vasallo
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Paul Flicek
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Roderic Guigo
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Arcadi Navarro
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Helen Parkinson
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Thomas Keane
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Jordi Rambla
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain
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9
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Devriendt T, Ammann C, W. Asselbergs F, Bernier A, Costas R, Friedrich MG, Gelpi JL, Jarvelin MR, Kuulasmaa K, Lekadir K, Mayrhofer MT, Papez V, Pasterkamp G, Petersen SE, Schmidt CO, Schulz-Menger J, Söderberg S, Shabani M, Veronesi G, Viezzer DS, Borry P. An agenda-setting paper on data sharing platforms: euCanSHare workshop. OPEN RESEARCH EUROPE 2021; 1:80. [PMID: 37645200 PMCID: PMC10445835 DOI: 10.12688/openreseurope.13860.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Various data sharing platforms are being developed to enhance the sharing of cohort data by addressing the fragmented state of data storage and access systems. However, policy challenges in several domains remain unresolved. The euCanSHare workshop was organized to identify and discuss these challenges and to set the future research agenda. Concerns over the multiplicity and long-term sustainability of platforms, lack of resources, access of commercial parties to medical data, credit and recognition mechanisms in academia and the organization of data access committees are outlined. Within these areas, solutions need to be devised to ensure an optimal functioning of platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thijs Devriendt
- Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Clemens Ammann
- Working Group on Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a joint cooperation between the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Folkert W. Asselbergs
- Department of Cardiology, Division Heart & Lungs, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Institute of Cardiovascular Science, Faculty of Population Health Sciences, University College London, London, UK
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
- Health Data Research UK, London, UK
| | - Alexander Bernier
- Centre of Genomics and Policy, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Rodrigo Costas
- Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS), Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Matthias G. Friedrich
- Departments of Medicine and Diagnostic Radiology, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada
| | - Josep L. Gelpi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marjo-Riitta Jarvelin
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, London, UK
- MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Center for Life Course Health Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
- Unit of Primary Health Care, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Kari Kuulasmaa
- National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Karim Lekadir
- Artificial Intelligence in Medicine Lab (BCN-AIM), Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Vaclav Papez
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
- Health Data Research UK, London, UK
| | - Gerard Pasterkamp
- Department of Clinical Diagnostics Laboratories, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Steffen E. Petersen
- Health Data Research UK, London, UK
- Barts Heart Centre, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK
- William Harvey Research Institute, NIHR Barts Biomedical Research Centre, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- The Alan Turing Institute, London, UK
| | - Carsten Oliver Schmidt
- Institute for Community Medicine, Department SHIP-KEF, Greifswald University Medical Center, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Jeanette Schulz-Menger
- Working Group on Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a joint cooperation between the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research) partner site, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Cardiology and Nephrology, HELIOS Hospital Berlin-Buch, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Söderberg
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Heart Centre, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Mahsa Shabani
- METAMEDICA, Department of Law and Criminology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Giovanni Veronesi
- Research Center in Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine (EPIMED), Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria in Varese, Varese, Italy
| | - Darian Steven Viezzer
- Working Group on Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, a joint cooperation between the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
- DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research) partner site, Berlin, Germany
| | - Pascal Borry
- Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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10
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Cabili MN, Lawson J, Saltzman A, Rushton G, O’Rourke P, Wilbanks J, Rodriguez LL, Nyronen T, Courtot M, Donnelly S, Philippakis AA. Empirical validation of an automated approach to data use oversight. CELL GENOMICS 2021; 1:100031. [PMID: 36778584 PMCID: PMC9903839 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2021.100031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The current paradigm for data use oversight of biomedical datasets is onerous, extending the timescale and resources needed to obtain access for secondary analyses, thus hindering scientific discovery. For a researcher to utilize a controlled-access dataset, a data access committee must review her research plans to determine whether they are consistent with the data use limitations (DULs) specified by the informed consent form. The newly created GA4GH data use ontology (DUO) holds the potential to streamline this process by making data use oversight computable. Here, we describe an open-source software platform, the Data Use Oversight System (DUOS), that connects with DUO terminology to enable automated data use oversight. We analyze dbGaP data acquired since 2006, finding an exponential increase in data access requests, which will not be sustainable with current manual oversight review. We perform an empirical evaluation of DUOS and DUO on selected datasets from the Broad Institute's data repository. We were able to structure 118/123 of the evaluated DULs (96%) and 52/52 (100%) of research proposals using DUO terminology, and we find that DUOS' automated data access adjudication in all cases agreed with the DAC manual review. This first empirical evaluation of the feasibility of automated data use oversight demonstrates comparable accuracy to human-based data access oversight in real-world data governance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moran N. Cabili
- Broad Institute of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan Lawson
- Broad Institute of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Andrea Saltzman
- Broad Institute of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Greg Rushton
- Broad Institute of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Tommi Nyronen
- ELIXIR Finland, CSC - IT Center for Science, Espoo, Finland
| | - Mélanie Courtot
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory - European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, UK
| | - Stacey Donnelly
- Broad Institute of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA,Corresponding author
| | - Anthony A. Philippakis
- Broad Institute of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA,Corresponding author
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11
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Lawson J, Cabili MN, Kerry G, Boughtwood T, Thorogood A, Alper P, Bowers SR, Boyles RR, Brookes AJ, Brush M, Burdett T, Clissold H, Donnelly S, Dyke SO, Freeberg MA, Haendel MA, Hata C, Holub P, Jeanson F, Jene A, Kawashima M, Kawashima S, Konopko M, Kyomugisha I, Li H, Linden M, Rodriguez LL, Morita M, Mulder N, Muller J, Nagaie S, Nasir J, Ogishima S, Ota Wang V, Paglione LD, Pandya RN, Parkinson H, Philippakis AA, Prasser F, Rambla J, Reinold K, Rushton GA, Saltzman A, Saunders G, Sofia HJ, Spalding JD, Swertz MA, Tulchinsky I, van Enckevort EJ, Varma S, Voisin C, Yamamoto N, Yamasaki C, Zass L, Guidry Auvil JM, Nyrönen TH, Courtot M. The Data Use Ontology to streamline responsible access to human biomedical datasets. CELL GENOMICS 2021; 1:None. [PMID: 34820659 PMCID: PMC8591903 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2021.100028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Human biomedical datasets that are critical for research and clinical studies to benefit human health also often contain sensitive or potentially identifying information of individual participants. Thus, care must be taken when they are processed and made available to comply with ethical and regulatory frameworks and informed consent data conditions. To enable and streamline data access for these biomedical datasets, the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) Data Use and Researcher Identities (DURI) work stream developed and approved the Data Use Ontology (DUO) standard. DUO is a hierarchical vocabulary of human and machine-readable data use terms that consistently and unambiguously represents a dataset's allowable data uses. DUO has been implemented by major international stakeholders such as the Broad and Sanger Institutes and is currently used in annotation of over 200,000 datasets worldwide. Using DUO in data management and access facilitates researchers' discovery and access of relevant datasets. DUO annotations increase the FAIRness of datasets and support data linkages using common data use profiles when integrating the data for secondary analyses. DUO is implemented in the Web Ontology Language (OWL) and, to increase community awareness and engagement, hosted in an open, centralized GitHub repository. DUO, together with the GA4GH Passport standard, offers a new, efficient, and streamlined data authorization and access framework that has enabled increased sharing of biomedical datasets worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Lawson
- Broad Institute of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Moran N. Cabili
- Broad Institute of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Giselle Kerry
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory—European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, UK
| | - Tiffany Boughtwood
- Australian Genomics, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Adrian Thorogood
- Centre of Genomics and Policy, Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada,ELIXIR-Luxembourg, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Pinar Alper
- ELIXIR-Luxembourg, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | | | | | | | - Matthew Brush
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Tony Burdett
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory—European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, UK
| | - Hayley Clissold
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
| | - Stacey Donnelly
- Broad Institute of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Stephanie O.M. Dyke
- McGill Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Mallory A. Freeberg
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory—European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, UK
| | | | - Chihiro Hata
- Bioinformation and DDBJ Center, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Petr Holub
- BBMRI-ERIC, AT and Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | | | - Aina Jene
- Centre de Regulació Genòmica (CRG), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Minae Kawashima
- National Bioscience Database Center, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shuichi Kawashima
- Database Center for Life Science, Joint Support-Center for Data Science Research, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Kashiwa, Japan
| | | | - Irene Kyomugisha
- Division of Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Haoyuan Li
- Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mikael Linden
- ELIXIR-Finland, CSC - IT Center for Science Ltd, Espoo, Finland
| | | | | | - Nicola Mulder
- Computational Biology Division, IDM, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jean Muller
- Laboratoire de Génétique Médicale, Institut de Génétique Médicale d’Alsace, INSERM U1112, Université; de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France,Laboratoire de Diagnostic Génétique, Institut de Génétique Médicale d’Alsace, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Satoshi Nagaie
- Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization (ToMMo), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Jamal Nasir
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Northampton, Northampton, UK
| | - Soichi Ogishima
- Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization (ToMMo), Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Vivian Ota Wang
- Office of Data Sharing, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Helen Parkinson
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory—European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, UK
| | - Anthony A. Philippakis
- Broad Institute of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Fabian Prasser
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jordi Rambla
- Centre de Regulació Genòmica (CRG), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Kathy Reinold
- Broad Institute of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Gregory A. Rushton
- Broad Institute of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Andrea Saltzman
- Broad Institute of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Heidi J. Sofia
- National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - John D. Spalding
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory—European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, UK
| | - Morris A. Swertz
- Genomics Coordination Center, Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Esther J. van Enckevort
- Genomics Coordination Center, Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Susheel Varma
- Health Data Research UK, Gibbs Building, 215 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE, UK
| | | | | | | | - Lyndon Zass
- Computational Biology Division, IDM, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | | | - Mélanie Courtot
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory—European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, UK,Corresponding author
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12
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Albalwy F, Brass A, Davies A. A Blockchain-Based Dynamic Consent Architecture to Support Clinical Genomic Data Sharing (ConsentChain): Proof-of-Concept Study. JMIR Med Inform 2021; 9:e27816. [PMID: 34730538 PMCID: PMC8600428 DOI: 10.2196/27816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In clinical genomics, sharing of rare genetic disease information between genetic databases and laboratories is essential to determine the pathogenic significance of variants to enable the diagnosis of rare genetic diseases. Significant concerns regarding data governance and security have reduced this sharing in practice. Blockchain could provide a secure method for sharing genomic data between involved parties and thus help overcome some of these issues. Objective This study aims to contribute to the growing knowledge of the potential role of blockchain technology in supporting the sharing of clinical genomic data by describing blockchain-based dynamic consent architecture to support clinical genomic data sharing and provide a proof-of-concept implementation, called ConsentChain, for the architecture to explore its performance. Methods The ConsentChain requirements were captured from a patient forum to identify security and consent concerns. The ConsentChain was developed on the Ethereum platform, in which smart contracts were used to model the actions of patients, who may provide or withdraw consent to share their data; the data creator, who collects and stores patient data; and the data requester, who needs to query and access the patient data. A detailed analysis was undertaken of the ConsentChain performance as a function of the number of transactions processed by the system. Results We describe ConsentChain, a blockchain-based system that provides a web portal interface to support clinical genomic sharing. ConsentChain allows patients to grant or withdraw data requester access and allows data requesters to query and submit access to data stored in a secure off-chain database. We also developed an ontology model to represent patient consent elements into machine-readable codes to automate the consent and data access processes. Conclusions Blockchains and smart contracts can provide an efficient and scalable mechanism to support dynamic consent functionality and address some of the barriers that inhibit genomic data sharing. However, they are not a complete answer, and a number of issues still need to be addressed before such systems can be deployed in practice, particularly in relation to verifying user credentials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faisal Albalwy
- Department of Computer Science, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.,Department of Computer Science, College of Computer Science and Engineering, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia.,Division of Informatics, Imaging and Data Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Brass
- Department of Computer Science, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.,Division of Informatics, Imaging and Data Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Angela Davies
- Division of Informatics, Imaging and Data Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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13
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Mayer G, Müller W, Schork K, Uszkoreit J, Weidemann A, Wittig U, Rey M, Quast C, Felden J, Glöckner FO, Lange M, Arend D, Beier S, Junker A, Scholz U, Schüler D, Kestler HA, Wibberg D, Pühler A, Twardziok S, Eils J, Eils R, Hoffmann S, Eisenacher M, Turewicz M. Implementing FAIR data management within the German Network for Bioinformatics Infrastructure (de.NBI) exemplified by selected use cases. Brief Bioinform 2021; 22:bbab010. [PMID: 33589928 PMCID: PMC8425304 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbab010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
This article describes some use case studies and self-assessments of FAIR status of de.NBI services to illustrate the challenges and requirements for the definition of the needs of adhering to the FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable) data principles in a large distributed bioinformatics infrastructure. We address the challenge of heterogeneity of wet lab technologies, data, metadata, software, computational workflows and the levels of implementation and monitoring of FAIR principles within the different bioinformatics sub-disciplines joint in de.NBI. On the one hand, this broad service landscape and the excellent network of experts are a strong basis for the development of useful research data management plans. On the other hand, the large number of tools and techniques maintained by distributed teams renders FAIR compliance challenging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard Mayer
- Ruhr University Bochum, Faculty of Medicine, Medizinisches Proteom-Center, Bochum, Germany
- Ruhr University Bochum, Center for Protein Diagnostics (ProDi), Medical Proteome Analysis, Bochum, Germany
- Ulm University, Institute of Medical Systems Biology, Ulm, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Müller
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS gGmbH), Scientific Databases and Visualization Group, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Karin Schork
- Ruhr University Bochum, Faculty of Medicine, Medizinisches Proteom-Center, Bochum, Germany
- Ruhr University Bochum, Center for Protein Diagnostics (ProDi), Medical Proteome Analysis, Bochum, Germany
| | - Julian Uszkoreit
- Ruhr University Bochum, Faculty of Medicine, Medizinisches Proteom-Center, Bochum, Germany
- Ruhr University Bochum, Center for Protein Diagnostics (ProDi), Medical Proteome Analysis, Bochum, Germany
| | - Andreas Weidemann
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS gGmbH), Scientific Databases and Visualization Group, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ulrike Wittig
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS gGmbH), Scientific Databases and Visualization Group, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maja Rey
- Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS gGmbH), Scientific Databases and Visualization Group, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Janine Felden
- Jacobs University Bremen gGmbH, Bremen, Germany
- University of Bremen, MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, Bremen, Germany
| | - Frank Oliver Glöckner
- Jacobs University Bremen gGmbH, Bremen, Germany
- University of Bremen, MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, Bremen, Germany
- Alfred Wegener Institute - Helmholtz Center for Polar- and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Matthias Lange
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Seeland, Germany
| | - Daniel Arend
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Seeland, Germany
| | - Sebastian Beier
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Seeland, Germany
| | - Astrid Junker
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Seeland, Germany
| | - Uwe Scholz
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Seeland, Germany
| | - Danuta Schüler
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Seeland, Germany
| | - Hans A Kestler
- Ulm University, Institute of Medical Systems Biology, Ulm, Germany
- Leibniz Institute on Ageing - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena
| | - Daniel Wibberg
- Bielefeld University, Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Alfred Pühler
- Bielefeld University, Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec), Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Sven Twardziok
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Center for Digital Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Eils
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Center for Digital Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Roland Eils
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Center for Digital Health, Berlin, Germany
- Heidelberg University Hospital and BioQuant, Health Data Science Unit, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Steve Hoffmann
- Leibniz Institute on Ageing - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena
| | - Martin Eisenacher
- Ruhr University Bochum, Faculty of Medicine, Medizinisches Proteom-Center, Bochum, Germany
- Ruhr University Bochum, Center for Protein Diagnostics (ProDi), Medical Proteome Analysis, Bochum, Germany
| | - Michael Turewicz
- Ruhr University Bochum, Faculty of Medicine, Medizinisches Proteom-Center, Bochum, Germany
- Ruhr University Bochum, Center for Protein Diagnostics (ProDi), Medical Proteome Analysis, Bochum, Germany
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14
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Reihs R, Proynova R, Maqsood S, Ataian M, Lablans M, Quinlan PR, Lawrence E, Bowman E, van Enckevort E, Bučík DF, Müller H, Holub P. BBMRI-ERIC Negotiator: Implementing Efficient Access to Biobanks. Biopreserv Biobank 2021; 19:414-421. [PMID: 34182766 DOI: 10.1089/bio.2020.0144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Various biological resources, such as biobanks and disease-specific registries, have become indispensable resources to better understand the epidemiology and biological mechanisms of disease and are fundamental for advancing medical research. Nevertheless, biobanks and similar resources still face significant challenges to become more findable and accessible by users on both national and global scales. One of the main challenges for users is to find relevant resources using cataloging and search services such as the BBMRI-ERIC Directory, operated by European Research Infrastructure on Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources (BBMRI-ERIC), as these often do not contain the information needed by the researchers to decide if the resource has relevant material/data; these resources are only weakly characterized. Hence, the researcher is typically left with too many resources to explore and investigate. In addition, resources often have complex procedures for accessing holdings, particularly for depletable biological materials. This article focuses on designing a system for effective negotiation of access to holdings, in which a researcher can approach many resources simultaneously, while giving each resource team the ability to implement their own mechanisms to check if the material/data are available and to decide if access should be provided. The BBMRI-ERIC has developed and implemented an access and negotiation tool called the BBMRI-ERIC Negotiator. The Negotiator enables access negotiation to more than 600 biobanks from the BBMRI-ERIC Directory and other discovery services such as GBA/BBMRI-ERIC Locator or RD-Connect Finder. This article summarizes the principles that guided the design of the tool, the terminology used and underlying data model, request workflows, authentication and authorization mechanism(s), and the mechanisms and monitoring processes to stimulate the desired behavior of the resources: to effectively deliver access to biological material and data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Reihs
- BBMRI-ERIC, Graz, Austria.,BBMRI.at and Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Rumyana Proynova
- BBMRI.de/German Biobank Alliance and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Saher Maqsood
- BBMRI.de/German Biobank Alliance and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maxmilian Ataian
- BBMRI.de/German Biobank Alliance and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Lablans
- BBMRI.de/German Biobank Alliance and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Philip R Quinlan
- BBMRI.uk and University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Emma Lawrence
- BBMRI.uk and University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Erinna Bowman
- BBMRI.uk and University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Esther van Enckevort
- BBMRI.nl and University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Heimo Müller
- BBMRI-ERIC, Graz, Austria.,BBMRI.at and Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria
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15
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Bernier A, Knoppers BM. Longitudinal Health Studies: Secondary Uses Serving the Future. Biopreserv Biobank 2021; 19:404-413. [PMID: 34171963 DOI: 10.1089/bio.2020.0171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Our research compares the ethical and institutional conditions that govern the sharing and secondary use of longitudinal population health data from multiple cohorts. The data use and data sharing conditions applicable to 27 population health cohorts were assessed. This assessment was performed in consulting the informed consent materials and institutional policies applicable to the use of data. Descriptions drawn from the research ethics consent materials were refined through dialog with the institutional staff responsible for overseeing access to data, where possible. Our results demonstrate that data of longitudinal population health cohorts assessed can generally be shared and used for secondary purposes. However, the purposes of secondary use and the preconditions applicable thereto are highly variable. Heterogeneous use conditions can also impede the storage of legacy research data and the pooling thereof for the purpose of common reuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Bernier
- Centre of Genomics and Policy, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Bartha Maria Knoppers
- Centre of Genomics and Policy, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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16
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Sharma A, Nilsen TB, Czerwinska KP, Onitiu D, Brenna L, Johansen D, Johansen HD. Up-to-the-Minute Privacy Policies via Gossips in Participatory Epidemiological Studies. Front Big Data 2021; 4:624424. [PMID: 34056584 PMCID: PMC8155614 DOI: 10.3389/fdata.2021.624424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Researchers and researched populations are actively involved in participatory epidemiology. Such studies collect many details about an individual. Recent developments in statistical inferences can lead to sensitive information leaks from seemingly insensitive data about individuals. Typical safeguarding mechanisms are vetted by ethics committees; however, the attack models are constantly evolving. Newly discovered threats, change in applicable laws or an individual's perception can raise concerns that affect the study. Addressing these concerns is imperative to maintain trust with the researched population. We are implementing Lohpi: an infrastructure for building accountability in data processing for participatory epidemiology. We address the challenge of data-ownership by allowing institutions to host data on their managed servers while being part of Lohpi. We update data access policies using gossips. We present Lohpi as a novel architecture for research data processing and evaluate the dissemination, overhead, and fault-tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aakash Sharma
- Department of Computer Science, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Thomas Bye Nilsen
- Department of Computer Science, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Katja Pauline Czerwinska
- Faculty of Design, Computer Science, Media, RheinMain University of Applied Sciences, Wiesbaden, Germany
| | - Daria Onitiu
- Northumbria Law School, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Lars Brenna
- Department of Computer Science, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Dag Johansen
- Department of Computer Science, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Håvard D Johansen
- Department of Computer Science, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
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17
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Schumann S, Gschmeidler B, Pellegrini G. Knowing, relationships and trust-citizens' perceptions of whole genome sequencing for the Genetics Clinic of the Future. J Community Genet 2020; 12:67-80. [PMID: 32997319 DOI: 10.1007/s12687-020-00486-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this article is to present various views from different groups of citizens on the topic of whole genome sequencing (WGS). Sixteen focus groups were carried out in Italy and Austria which aimed at reflecting on the question of how to ensure that the implementation of WGS into the clinic is relevant and responsive to the needs of all members of society. In the qualitative analysis of the focus groups, three key themes (knowing, relationships and trust) were investigated. Although the majority of the participants favoured a person-centred care approach, we also found more radical perspectives in the relationship theme. This includes a self-centred orientation in which health care institutions should be prepared to integrate self-interpretation efforts of citizens and develop strategies to deal with them. Different attitudes towards getting to know genetic information (knowing) and varied approaches to decision-making for or against the use of WGS were observed. Personal capacities, in particular those to handle medical information, were emphasized as key factors. This means that it is important not to connect the desire not to know with a rejection of the technology per se but rather to support information and consultancy processes that effectively involve citizens. Concerning the third theme, we have underlined the important role of mistrust in addition to trust because it mostly points to areas or conditions considered problematic. Thus, mistrust is also a way to articulate critique, for example, of the profit-making with patient data, that has to be taken seriously by governance.
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18
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Lawrence E, Sims J, Gander A, Garibaldi JM, Fuller B, Davidson B, Quinlan PR. The Barriers and Motivators to Using Human Tissues for Research: The Views of UK-Based Biomedical Researchers. Biopreserv Biobank 2020; 18:266-273. [PMID: 32551838 PMCID: PMC7415886 DOI: 10.1089/bio.2019.0138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The use of human-derived samples is vital to numerous areas of biological and medical research. Despite this, researchers often find or anticipate difficulty in sourcing samples. There are ongoing efforts to increase the visibility and accessibility of UK human tissue biobanking, but minimal (if any) research on the reasons behind researchers' choice of sample source has been undertaken. We have analyzed UK researchers' motivations on using their preferred sample sources and their perceived barriers to human sample use. Methods: The study was based on an online survey of academic and industry researchers, followed by focus groups, with participants across the United Kingdom. Both the survey and focus groups probed participants' views on the barriers to finding and using human samples in research. Results: One hundred ninety-eight academic and industry researchers completed the survey on their human sample use, and five focus groups consisting of 21 total participants took place. The top cited reasons for choosing sources included the availability of linked clinical data (40%), the geographical location of the resource (39%), and preexisting collaboration (33%). Focus group participants highlighted their strong preference for local or known sample sources, which were preferred because additional scientific and logistical input could be obtained for their work and they were more confident that the samples would be of good quality. Discussion: We found that there were significant perceptions of governance barriers to sample access. As a consequence, researchers preferred local and known suppliers because of the perception that these could assist with the governance, would be reliable, and able to provide the additional support they required. Equally, data availability was a major contributor to the selection of a new source of samples. These observations are of significant value to those seeking to improve the access to existing sample resources via online discovery tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Lawrence
- Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London Medical School, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jessica Sims
- Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London Medical School, London, United Kingdom
| | - Amir Gander
- Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London Medical School, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan M Garibaldi
- School of Computer Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Barry Fuller
- Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London Medical School, London, United Kingdom
| | - Brian Davidson
- Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London Medical School, London, United Kingdom
| | - Philip R Quinlan
- Digital Research Service, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
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19
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Bild R, Bialke M, Buckow K, Ganslandt T, Ihrig K, Jahns R, Merzweiler A, Roschka S, Schreiweis B, Stäubert S, Zenker S, Prasser F. Towards a comprehensive and interoperable representation of consent-based data usage permissions in the German medical informatics initiative. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2020; 20:103. [PMID: 32503529 PMCID: PMC7275462 DOI: 10.1186/s12911-020-01138-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The aim of the German Medical Informatics Initiative is to establish a national infrastructure for integrating and sharing health data. To this, Data Integration Centers are set up at university medical centers, which address data harmonization, information security and data protection. To capture patient consent, a common informed consent template has been developed. It consists of different modules addressing permissions for using data and biosamples. On the technical level, a common digital representation of information from signed consent templates is needed. As the partners in the initiative are free to adopt different solutions for managing consent information (e.g. IHE BPPC or HL7 FHIR Consent Resources), we had to develop an interoperability layer. Methods First, we compiled an overview of data items required to reflect the information from the MII consent template as well as patient preferences and derived permissions. Next, we created entity-relationship diagrams to formally describe the conceptual data model underlying relevant items. We then compared this data model to conceptual models describing representations of consent information using different interoperability standards. We used the result of this comparison to derive an interoperable representation that can be mapped to common standards. Results The digital representation needs to capture the following information: (1) version of the consent, (2) consent status for each module, and (3) period of validity of the status. We found that there is no generally accepted solution to represent status information in a manner interoperable with all relevant standards. Hence, we developed a pragmatic solution, comprising codes which describe combinations of modules with a basic set of status labels. We propose to maintain these codes in a public registry called ART-DECOR. We present concrete technical implementations of our approach using HL7 FHIR and IHE BPPC which are also compatible with the open-source consent management software gICS. Conclusions The proposed digital representation is (1) generic enough to capture relevant information from a wide range of consent documents and data use regulations and (2) interoperable with common technical standards. We plan to extend our model to include more fine-grained status codes and rules for automated access control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffael Bild
- Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Institute of Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany.
| | - Martin Bialke
- Institute for Community Medicine, Department Epidemiology of Health Care and Community Health, University Medicine Greifswald, Ellernholzstr 1-2, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Karoline Buckow
- TMF - Technology, Methods, and Infrastructure for Networked Medical Research, Charlottenstraße 42, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Ganslandt
- Heinrich-Lanz-Center for Digital Health, University Medicine Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Kristina Ihrig
- Department of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Roland Jahns
- Interdisciplinary Bank of Biomaterials and Data Würzburg, University and University Hospital Würzburg, Straubmühlweg 2a, 97078, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Angela Merzweiler
- Department of Medical Information Systems, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 130.3, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sybille Roschka
- Institute for Community Medicine, Department Epidemiology of Health Care and Community Health, University Medicine Greifswald, Ellernholzstr 1-2, 17487, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Björn Schreiweis
- Institute for Medical Informatics and Statistics, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein and Kiel University, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, 24105, Kiel, Germany
| | - Sebastian Stäubert
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, Universität Leipzig, Härtelstraße 16-18, 04107, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sven Zenker
- Staff Unit for Medical & Scientific Technology Development & Coordination, Commercial Directorate, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,Department Of Anesthesiology & Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,Institute for Medical Biometrics, Informatics & Epidemiology, University of Bonn, Venusbergcampus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Fabian Prasser
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Anna-Louisa-Karsch-Str. 2, 10178, Berlin, Germany
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20
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Alter G, Gonzalez-Beltran A, Ohno-Machado L, Rocca-Serra P. The Data Tags Suite (DATS) model for discovering data access and use requirements. Gigascience 2020; 9:giz165. [PMID: 32031623 PMCID: PMC7006671 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giz165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Data reuse is often controlled to protect the privacy of subjects and patients. Data discovery tools need ways to inform researchers about restrictions on data access and re-use. RESULTS We present elements in the Data Tags Suite (DATS) metadata schema describing data access, data use conditions, and consent information. DATS metadata are explained in terms of the administrative, legal, and technical systems used to protect confidential data. CONCLUSIONS The access and use metadata items in DATS are designed from the perspective of a researcher who wants to find and re-use existing data. We call for standard ways of describing informed consent and data use agreements that will enable automated systems for managing research data.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Alter
- University of Michigan, ICPSR 330 Packard Street, Ann Arbor MI 48104, USA
| | - Alejandra Gonzalez-Beltran
- Science and Technology Facilities Council, Scientific Computing Department, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Campus, Didcot, 0X11 0QX, United Kingdom
| | - Lucila Ohno-Machado
- University of California, San Diego, Division of Biomedical Informatics, 9500 Gilman Dr. MC 0728, La Jolla CA 92093-0728, USA
| | - Philippe Rocca-Serra
- Oxford e-Research Centre University of Oxford 7 Keble Road, Oxford, OX1 3QG United Kingdom
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21
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22
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Bernasconi L, Şen S, Angerame L, Balyegisawa AP, Hong Yew Hui D, Hotter M, Hsu CY, Ito T, Jörger F, Krassnitzer W, Phillips AT, Li R, Stockley L, Tay F, von Heijne Widlund C, Wan M, Wong C, Yau H, Hiemstra TF, Uresin Y, Senti G. Legal and ethical framework for global health information and biospecimen exchange - an international perspective. BMC Med Ethics 2020; 21:8. [PMID: 31964390 PMCID: PMC6975025 DOI: 10.1186/s12910-020-0448-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The progress of electronic health technologies and biobanks holds enormous promise for efficient research. Evidence shows that studies based on sharing and secondary use of data/samples have the potential to significantly advance medical knowledge. However, sharing of such resources for international collaboration is hampered by the lack of clarity about ethical and legal requirements for transfer of data and samples across international borders. Main text Here, the International Clinical Trial Center Network (ICN) reports the legal and ethical requirements governing data and sample exchange (DSE) across four continents. The most recurring requirement is ethical approval, whereas only in specific conditions approval of national health authorities is required. Informed consent is not required in all sharing situations. However, waiver of informed consent is only allowed in certain countries/regions and under certain circumstances. The current legal and ethical landscape appears to be very complex and under constant evolution. Regulations differ between countries/regions and are often incomplete, leading to uncertainty. Conclusion With this work, ICN illuminates the unmet need for a single international collaborative framework to facilitate DSE. Harmonising requirements for global DSE will reduce inefficiency and waste in research. There are many challenges to realising this ambitious vision, including inconsistent terminology and definitions, and heterogeneous and dynamic legal constraints. Here, we identify areas of agreement and significant difference as a necessary first step towards facilitating international collaboration. We propose the establishment of a working group to continue the comparison across jurisdictions, create a standardised glossary and define a set of basic principles and fundamental requirements for DSE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Bernasconi
- Clinical Trials Center, University Hospital Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Selçuk Şen
- Center of Excellence for Clinical Research, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Luca Angerame
- Clinical Trial Center Spa, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Chung Y Hsu
- Clinical Trial Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Tatsuya Ito
- Institute for Advancement of Clinical and Translational Science, Kyoto University and Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Francisca Jörger
- Clinical Trials Center, University Hospital Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Rui Li
- Shanghai Clinical Research Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Louise Stockley
- Cambridge Clinical Trials Unit, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridgem, UK
| | - Fabian Tay
- Clinical Trials Center, University Hospital Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Ming Wan
- Shanghai Clinical Research Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Creany Wong
- Clinical Trials Centre, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Henry Yau
- Clinical Trials Centre, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Thomas F Hiemstra
- Cambridge Clinical Trials Unit, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridgem, UK
| | - Yagiz Uresin
- Center of Excellence for Clinical Research, University of Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Gabriela Senti
- Clinical Trials Center, University Hospital Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
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Abstract
The Canadian Genomics Partnership for Rare Diseases, spearheaded by Genome Canada, will integrate genome-wide sequencing to rare disease clinical care in Canada. Centralized and tiered models of data stewardship are proposed to ensure that the data generated can be shared for secondary clinical, research, and quality assurance purposes in compliance with ethics and law. The principal ethico-legal obligations of clinicians, researchers, and institutions are synthesized. Governance infrastructures such as registered access platforms, data access compliance offices, and Beacon systems are proposed as potential organizational and technical foundations of responsible rare disease data sharing. The appropriate delegation of responsibilities, the transparent communication of rights and duties, and the integration of data privacy safeguards into infrastructure design are proposed as the cornerstones of rare disease data stewardship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Bernier
- Centre of Genomics and Policy, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada
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24
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Landi A, Thompson M, Giannuzzi V, Bonifazi F, Labastida I, da Silva Santos LOB, Roos M. The “A” of FAIR – As Open as Possible, as Closed as Necessary. DATA INTELLIGENCE 2020. [DOI: 10.1162/dint_a_00027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to provide responsible access to health data by reconciling benefits of data sharing with privacy rights and ethical and regulatory requirements, Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR) metadata should be developed. According to the H2020 Program Guidelines on FAIR Data, data should be “as open as possible and as closed as necessary”, “open” in order to foster the reusability and to accelerate research, but at the same time they should be “closed” to safeguard the privacy of the subjects. Additional provisions on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data have been endorsed by the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Reg (EU) 2016/679, that came into force in May 2018. This work aims to solve accessibility problems related to the protection of personal data in the digital era and to achieve a responsible access to and responsible use of health data. We strongly suggest associating each data set with FAIR metadata describing both the type of data collected and the accessibility conditions by considering data protection obligations and ethical and regulatory requirements. Finally, an existing FAIR infrastructure component has been used as an example to explain how FAIR metadata could facilitate data sharing while ensuring protection of individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Landi
- Fondazione per la Ricerca Farmacologica Gianni Benzi Onlus, 30 – 70010 Valenzano (BA), Italy
| | - Mark Thompson
- Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
| | - Viviana Giannuzzi
- Fondazione per la Ricerca Farmacologica Gianni Benzi Onlus, 30 – 70010 Valenzano (BA), Italy
| | - Fedele Bonifazi
- Fondazione per la Ricerca Farmacologica Gianni Benzi Onlus, 30 – 70010 Valenzano (BA), Italy
| | - Ignasi Labastida
- Learning and Research Resources Centre (CRAI), Universitat de Barcelona, Catalunya 08007, Spain
| | | | - Marco Roos
- Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands
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25
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Dzobo K, Adotey S, Thomford NE, Dzobo W. Integrating Artificial and Human Intelligence: A Partnership for Responsible Innovation in Biomedical Engineering and Medicine. OMICS-A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY 2019; 24:247-263. [PMID: 31313972 DOI: 10.1089/omi.2019.0038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Historically, the term "artificial intelligence" dates to 1956 when it was first used in a conference at Dartmouth College in the US. Since then, the development of artificial intelligence has in part been shaped by the field of neuroscience. By understanding the human brain, scientists have attempted to build new intelligent machines capable of performing complex tasks akin to humans. Indeed, future research into artificial intelligence will continue to benefit from the study of the human brain. While the development of artificial intelligence algorithms has been fast paced, the actual use of most artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms in biomedical engineering and clinical practice is still markedly below its conceivably broader potentials. This is partly because for any algorithm to be incorporated into existing workflows it has to stand the test of scientific validation, clinical and personal utility, application context, and is equitable as well. In this context, there is much to be gained by combining AI and human intelligence (HI). Harnessing Big Data, computing power and storage capacities, and addressing societal issues emergent from algorithm applications, demand deploying HI in tandem with AI. Very few countries, even economically developed states, lack adequate and critical governance frames to best understand and steer the AI innovation trajectories in health care. Drug discovery and translational pharmaceutical research stand to gain from AI technology provided they are also informed by HI. In this expert review, we analyze the ways in which AI applications are likely to traverse the continuum of life from birth to death, and encompassing not only humans but also all animal, plant, and other living organisms that are increasingly touched by AI. Examples of AI applications include digital health, diagnosis of diseases in newborns, remote monitoring of health by smart devices, real-time Big Data analytics for prompt diagnosis of heart attacks, and facial analysis software with consequences on civil liberties. While we underscore the need for integration of AI and HI, we note that AI technology does not have to replace medical specialists or scientists and rather, is in need of such expert HI. Altogether, AI and HI offer synergy for responsible innovation and veritable prospects for improving health care from prevention to diagnosis to therapeutics while unintended consequences of automation emergent from AI and algorithms should be borne in mind on scientific cultures, work force, and society at large.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Dzobo
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town Component, Wernher and Beit Building (South), UCT Medical Campus, Anzio Road, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa.,Division of Medical Biochemistry and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sampson Adotey
- International Development Innovation Network, D-Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nicholas E Thomford
- Pharmacogenetics Research Group, Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology and Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Witness Dzobo
- Pathology and Immunology Department, University Hospital Southampton, Mail Point B, Tremona Road, Southampton, UK.,University of Portsmouth, Faculty of Science, St Michael's Building, White Swan Road, Portsmouth, UK
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26
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Yehia L, Eng C. Largescale population genomics versus deep phenotyping: Brute force or elegant pragmatism towards precision medicine. NPJ Genom Med 2019; 4:6. [PMID: 30937181 PMCID: PMC6435636 DOI: 10.1038/s41525-019-0080-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lamis Yehia
- 1Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195 USA
| | - Charis Eng
- 1Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195 USA.,2Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195 USA.,3Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106 USA.,4Germline High Risk Cancer Focus Group, CASE Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 USA
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27
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Meeting Patients' Right to the Correct Diagnosis: Ongoing International Initiatives on Undiagnosed Rare Diseases and Ethical and Social Issues. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:ijerph15102072. [PMID: 30248891 PMCID: PMC6210164 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15102072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The time required to reach a correct diagnosis is a key concern for rare disease (RD) patients. Diagnostic delay can be intolerably long, often described as an “odyssey” and, for some, a diagnosis may remain frustratingly elusive. The International Rare Disease Research Consortium proposed, as ultimate goal for 2017–2027, to enable all people with a suspected RD to be diagnosed within one year of presentation, if the disorder is known. Subsequently, unsolved cases would enter a globally coordinated diagnostic and research pipeline. In-depth analysis of the genotype through next generation sequencing, together with a standardized in-depth phenotype description and sophisticated high-throughput approaches, have been applied as diagnostic tools to increase the chance of a timely and accurate diagnosis. The success of this approach is evident in the Orphanet database. From 2010 to March 2017 over 600 new RDs and roughly 3600 linked genes have been described and identified. However, combination of -omics and phenotype data, as well as international sharing of this information, has raised ethical concerns. Values to be assessed include not only patient autonomy but also family implications, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, solidarity and reciprocity, which must be respected and promoted and, at the same time, balanced among each other. In this work we suggest that, to maximize patients’ involvement in the search for a diagnosis and identification of new causative genes, undiagnosed patients should have the possibility to: (1) actively participate in the description of their phenotype; (2) choose the level of visibility of their profile in matchmaking databases; (3) express their preferences regarding return of new findings, in particular which level of Variant of Unknown Significance (VUS) significance should be considered relevant to them. The quality of the relationship between individual patients and physicians, and between the patient community and the scientific community, is critically important for optimizing the use of available data and enabling international collaboration in order to provide a diagnosis, and the attached support, to unsolved cases. The contribution of patients to collecting and coding data comprehensively is critical for efficient use of data downstream of data collection.
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