Blackfynn: A scalable and sustainable platform for scientific data integration and analysis

Blackfynn, Inc., Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

Scientific and medical data are growing exponentially, in terms of size, complexity, and sheer number of datasets. The challenge lies in how to best tap this plethora of data, to build explanatory and predictive models of living systems, and to discover the biomarkers that will lead to improved medical diagnoses and treatments. The critical bottleneck lies in software support for enabling discovery. Key missing enablers have been the ability to bring together data collected in disparate studies and of different modalities; to normalize and integrate it for detailed analysis. The Blackfynn Platform directly addresses these needs, enabling team science for big data. Our platform provides a single seamless point of data access and management for multi-modal data. It enables rapid viewing and search, integration and linking of data across modalities, followed by analysis via custom or standardized tools. Our proposed work involves three main thrusts: - Develop a cloud-based scientific data management platform tailored to the needs of SPARC investigators. This work will enable the core SPARC goals for platform development of the DAT-CORE, as well as tools, methods, and infrastructure that carry over to the goals of the SIM-CORE and MAP-CORE. - Drive collaborative efforts with the other SPARC cores and investigators and promote interoperability and seamless integration of systems. Blackfynn will develop processes and tools to support coordination within the SPARC program. We will create an open architecture and enhance our platform to foster collaboration, and tool interoperability. - Develop a sustainable ecosystem for the neuroscience community outside and beyond the SPARC initiative. Efforts in this project will be lost without a clear strategy to expand use of the selected platform(s) beyond the SPARC effort. We will provide continued access to the Blackfynn Platform for the scientific community via a sustainable business plan focused on low-cost access for academic investigators.