NEW YORK — The Parkinson's Foundation is partnering with software company Tag.bio to try to make it easier for researchers to analyze and share anonymized clinical and genomic data about the disease, the foundation said Tuesday.
The Parkinson's Foundation will use San Francisco-based Tag.bio's software platform to link anonymized datasets from PD GENEration, the foundation's nationwide genetic testing initiative. Tag.bio uses data mesh, a decentralized approach to data architecture in which organizations maintain control of their own datasets, while also sharing them with others.
Tag.bio's platform combines datasets and offers algorithms to analyze the information, which researchers can use to study causes, disease progression, and personalized treatment for Parkinson's disease.
"By providing the research community with tools and a library of data, we hope to make strides in advancing Parkinson's research, spark discoveries in treatment, and improve the overall care of people living with the disease," Parkinson's Foundation CSO James Beck said in a statement.
There is no cure for Parkinson's disease, which is the second most common neurodegenerative disease following Alzheimer's, according to the Parkinson's Foundation.
The Parkinson's Foundation's PD GENEration program provides free genetic testing and counseling for patients with Parkinson's disease to inform research on seven genes related to the condition and potentially identify relevant clinical trials. Earlier this year, the Parkinson's Foundation expanded the program to include more sites and greater outreach to historically underserved communities, including partnering with Morehouse School of Medicine.