iDASH: integrating data for analysis, anonymization, and sharing

TLDR

iDASH is the newest National Center for Biomedical Computing funded by the NIH. iDASH aims to give biomedical and behavioral researchers access to data, software, and a high‑performance computing environment. It develops privacy‑preserving algorithms and tools, integrates foundational privacy research with engineering for collaborative tool development, offers HIPAA‑certified cloud data‑sharing, supports diverse biological projects, and provides training and dissemination to connect stakeholders. These capabilities enable researchers to generate and test new hypotheses.

Abstract

iDASH (integrating data for analysis, anonymization, and sharing) is the newest National Center for Biomedical Computing funded by the NIH. It focuses on algorithms and tools for sharing data in a privacy-preserving manner. Foundational privacy technology research performed within iDASH is coupled with innovative engineering for collaborative tool development and data-sharing capabilities in a private Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-certified cloud. Driving Biological Projects, which span different biological levels (from molecules to individuals to populations) and focus on various health conditions, help guide research and development within this Center. Furthermore, training and dissemination efforts connect the Center with its stakeholders and educate data owners and data consumers on how to share and use clinical and biological data. Through these various mechanisms, iDASH implements its goal of providing biomedical and behavioral researchers with access to data, software, and a high-performance computing environment, thus enabling them to generate and test new hypotheses.