Scientific and medical data are growing exponentially, in terms of size, complexity, and sheer number of datasets. The challenge lies in how to best tap this plethora of data, to build explanatory and predictive models of living systems, and to discover the biomarkers that will lead to improved medical diagnoses and treatments. The critical bottleneck lies in software support for enabling discovery. The next generation software platform for scientific discovery will require a focus on sustainability, security, user-experience, and accessibility. The Blackfynn Platform directly addresses these needs, enabling team science for big data. Our platform provides a single seamless point of data access and management for multi-modal data. It enables rapid viewing and search, integration and linking of data across modalities, followed by analysis via custom or standardized tools. Our commitment to the SPARC program is focused on three main thrusts: - Develop a cloud-based scientific data management platform tailored to the needs of SPARC investigators. Blackfynn will expand its platform to support the specific needs of the SPARC investigators and develop infrastructure to integrate with deliverables from the SPARC SIM-CORE and MAP-CORE. - Drive collaborative efforts with the other SPARC cores and investigators and promote interoperability and seamless integration of systems. Blackfynn will develop processes and tools to support coordination within the SPARC program. We will create an open architecture and enhance our platform to foster collaboration and tool interoperability. - Develop a sustainable ecosystem for the neuroscience community outside and beyond the SPARC initiative. Efforts in this project will be lost without a clear strategy to expand use of the selected platform(s) beyond the SPARC effort. We will work with the SPARC team to develop solutions to guarantee sustainability and develop an open data exchange platform that can be used by anyone to find and access public data hosted on the Blackfynn platform at cost.
