NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Members of the International Canadian Data Sharing Initiative (Can-SHARE) have announced the recipients of C$700,000 ($522,000) in funding under their New Initiatives program.
The first of the funded projects is the Genomic Epidemiology Entity Mart, which aims to improve the harmonization and sharing of genomics information with other contextual and clinical health data, to efficiently assess and manage risks to human health. The project received C$200,000 from Genome British Columbia. It is led by William Hsiao, a clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia.
A second project will focus on the development of a platform for genomic data exchange and aggregation using blockchain technology. The project received C$400,000 from Genome British Columbia and Telus Health. It is led by Bruce McManus, a professor in the department of pathology and laboratory medicine at UBC.
A third project will focus on developing a web-accessible service aimed at enabling better sharing of sensitive genotype and associated information between doctors and researchers. Telus is providing C$100,000 in funding for this project, which is led by DNAstack CEO Marc Fiume.
Can-SHARE is a pan-Canadian research initiative led by the Public Population Project in Genomics and Society. Its goal under the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health is to enable innovation in the use of genomic data for patient care first in Canada and elsewhere. Projects under the initiative focus on creating policies and tools for Canadian clinicians and researchers to share genomic and clinical datasets within the country and with international partners.
Last year, Can-SHARE received a C$3.3 million investment from Genome Canada and the Canadian Institute of Health Research.