{"id":4757,"date":"2022-07-26T15:58:23","date_gmt":"2022-07-26T22:58:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/news\/data-sharing-game-changer-the-global-alzheimers-association-interactive-network\/"},"modified":"2024-11-07T16:19:45","modified_gmt":"2024-11-08T00:19:45","slug":"data-sharing-game-changer-the-global-alzheimers-association-interactive-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/keck.usc.edu\/news\/data-sharing-game-changer-the-global-alzheimers-association-interactive-network\/","title":{"rendered":"Data sharing game-changer: the Global Alzheimer\u2019s Association Interactive Network"},"content":{"rendered":"\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Data sharing game-changer: the Global Alzheimer\u2019s Association Interactive Network<\/h1>\n\n\n<\/div>\n \n \n
\n Sidney Taiko Sheehan<\/span>\n \n July 26, 2022<\/span>\n <\/div>\n \n \n
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AI and GAAIN – a game-changer in Alzheimer\u2019s research (Image: Jim Stanis, USC Stevens INI)<\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n \n \n \n\n<\/div>\n \n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\r\n\r\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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For more than a decade, the promise of big data has transformed the way we problem solve. Advances in computational power, mathematical applications, and the sheer volume of data available have led to countless innovations in scientific research and medicine. And yet, there are significant challenges that can leave specialists siloed and stagnant in aspects of their work. Issues like lack of training, difficulty replicating findings, privacy concerns, and collaboration obstacles all stand in the way of using big data to find solutions to humanity\u2019s biggest problems, notably in medicine.<\/p>\n

The Keck School of Medicine of USC\u2019s Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI<\/a>) houses a multidisciplinary collaborative of experts in neuroimaging, data science, radiology, engineering, who are committed to removing obstacles that get in the way of big data\u2019s promise, particularly in diseases affecting the brain. In 2015, the Stevens INI partnered with the Alzheimer\u2019s Association to create the Global Alzheimer\u2019s Association Interactive Network (GAAIN<\/a>). The first of its kind, GAAIN is a federated network connecting independently operated Alzheimer\u2019s disease and dementia-related data repositories from around the world. GAAIN was created to address the challenges of making data available and accessible while supporting and connecting researchers worldwide to accelerate the development of Alzheimer\u2019s disease prevention and treatments.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The GAAIN team, (L-R) Ioannis Pappas, PhD, Assistant Professor, Karen Crawford, MIS Manager, Arthur W. Toga, PhD, Director, Sidney Taiko Sheehan, Communications Manager, Cally Xiao, PhD, Project Specialist, Scott Neu, PhD, Assistant Professor<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Notably, researchers are using GAAIN for work like analyzing sex risk factors for Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/a> and even analyzing how social determinants\u2014like health care access, living environment, and education\u2014are highly related to several indicators of brain health, including AD and other dementias. Researchers interested in examining health disparities among differing racial and ethnic groups, for example, have even more challenges finding the diverse cohorts they need for their studies. Finding and accessing this data can be incredibly time-consuming and laborious. By taking a closer look at the many challenges of this research, the utility of GAAIN becomes evident.<\/p>\n

Sociology of data sharing<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why data sharing? Instead of \u201csiloed\u201d studies, bringing big data together allows for accelerated research in Alzheimer\u2019s disease. For example, looking at rare neuroprotective mutations or developing a drug requires significant amounts of data to potentially reveal statistical significance. With GAAIN, researchers can pool data from different studies, thus increasing their sample size and the statistical power of their study.<\/p>\n

Data owners are required to make data available (e.g., based on NIH grant guidelines), but many data owners do not want to merely hand over the data they spent resources and time to collect. GAAIN allows data owners (GAAIN Data Partners) to join a data sharing network using a fully federated and voluntary system. Specifically, GAAIN Data Partners:<\/p>\n