COMPUTATIONAL/INFORMATICS SHARED RESOURCE: POPULATION STUDIES FACILITY (PSF) PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT PSF was rated Outstanding at the last review. Computer-based tools are vital to many research studies? success, particularly those that collect large amounts of data or involve complex data collection protocols. The PSF facilitates FCCC research by providing critical informatics infrastructure and customized, project-specific information systems for Cancer Center members. PSF, with the direction of Eric Ross, PhD and a staff of 5.5 FTEs provides members with a stable, cost-effective team of information systems professionals with state-of- the-art software design and engineering skills appropriate to cancer research. PSF functions include development of: databases for the storage and manipulation of large quantities of questionnaire, clinical, molecular and specimen data; electronic data capture interfaces; report generation software; consistency and quality control systems; web-enabled multimedia applications; and systems that provide integration and controlled exchange of data from diverse sources. PSF is a critical component of the research infrastructure to which all Cancer Center members have ready access. PSF has developed systems that maintain data on over 210,000 subjects. More than 90,000 were enrolled in FCCC studies within the US; the remainder were in international cohort studies. PSF staff are proficient with software tools for managing complex databases and expert with methods employed by collaborating investigators. From 2011-2014, the PSF provided 32,596 consulting hours in support of 38 Cancer Center members in four Research Programs. It provided 7,125 consulting hours to 24 Cancer Center members in 2014. 6,380 of the consulting hours (90%) were in support of peer-review funded Cancer Center members. PSF provided direct informatics support to seven other FCCC CCSG-supported faciltiies during the current cycle. The PSF also collaborated with the Clinical Trials Office on deployment, customization and integration of new core informatics tools to support clinical research and associated regulatory functions. PSF expanded the Fox Chase Data Warehouse (FCDW) during the current cycle. It now integrates data from 41 research and clinical systems derived from 228,000 patients and study participants. The FCDW stimulates new collaborations and opportunities for translational and correlative research. From 2011 to June 2015, the PSF contributed to 117 manuscripts, of which PSF personnel are co-authors on 27. PSF has access to an extensive, up-to-date computing environment that includes open source and commercial software engineering tools. The PSF is advised by a dedicated Facility Advisory Committee (FAC) that meets annually. Recommendations from the FAC are directed to a governing Facility Parent Oversight Committee (FPOC) that serves to ensure that the PSF continues to have the necessary resources to provide the highest quality informatics services for Cancer Center members. Demand for services is expected to increase in the next CCSG cycle due to plans to recruit in all 5 Research Programs and new demand from Cancer Center members at TU.
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