AMDeC

With the launch of the Genomic Analysis and Technology Excellence (GATE) program, AMDeC is taking the next step in leveraging the unparalleled genomics resources of our member institutions’ vast biological and data resources.  GATE will provide the analytic infrastructure required to unlock the full value of the enormous libraries of data generated through GATE’s predecessors. Its infrastructure will include data warehousing, computational power and novel analytical tools that will springboard basic science observations into clinical diagnostic and therapeutic tools.

GATE also addresses a critical need for education and training in these emerging fields. Biomedical research relies on successful collaborations at both a cyber and physical level. GATE scientists will develop application specific courses to train postdoctoral fellows and the next wave of bioinformatics thought leaders via translational applications of genomic data sources and analyses. This pool of young professionals will be intensely valuable to the scientific community.

Out of the GATE Collaborative Scientific Focus Group, AMDeC facilitates the activities of six GATE sub-groups:

Vendor Partnerships
Goals:
1) Assess and recommend pricing/instrumentation for existing and/or new discounted vendor agreements.
2) Evaluate technology platforms.

Core Facility Directors
Goals:
1) Provide an information network/platform for information sharing among member institutions.
2) Strengthen communications outreach to stakeholders/users of all levels; and 3) develop cross-institute SOPs/protocols.

Funding Strategies
Goals:
1) Track suitable funding streams/grants.
2) Identify key areas of disease-specific applications aligning with member institutions’ expertise/leadership
3) Establish a communication process and peer review process for potential multi-institute collaboration ideas/projects.
4) Align AMDeC and member institutions’ lobbying efforts.

Education
Goals:
1) Develop frameworks for short-term (e.g. workshops) and long-term (e.g. ongoing, regularly-scheduled classes) professional/technical education/training sessions for scientists, practitioners, and students.
2) Identify and/or coordinate regional training opportunities.
3) Explore and/or create training materials.
4) Design consortium-wide training opportunities on regulation changes, new technologies, etc.

Bioinformatics/BioIT
Goals:
1) Assess, compare and identify suitable tools, software commercial packages, data management, and technology platforms.
2) Create pipeline projects and a shared repository.
3) Develop benchmarks and share best practices.
4) Identify appropriate users.

Standards/Protocols
Goals:
1) Build a collective presence by developing and facilitating adoption of consistent, interoperable consortium-wide standards and protocols, including sample input standards, data quality standards, etc.
2) Provide opportunities to learn from and among various member institutions;
3) Monitor and track how well the consortium-wide standards align with other national clinical and translational standards.

For more information on GATE, its sub-groups, and how to particpate please contact William Palumbo at (212) 218 – 5640.