August 9, 2023 Data Science Announcements

Have You Checked the Data Science Job Board?

Breaking Data Science News

2023 DataWorks! Prize Open for Submissions

The 2023 DataWorks! Prize focuses on best practice "recipes" that advance biological and biomedical research activities, with a focus on practices enabling robust data management during the research process. Participants will submit their data sharing/reuse best practice recipes in a form that can be used by an audience of their peers, such as a teaching resource or tool for active data management. In this way, the 2023 prize will collate a rich set of best practices recipes and interactive resources to be hosted by the DataWorks! Help Desk that can be used by the research community to more easily and successfully manage, share, and reuse data. 

Submissions close August 15, 2023.

Happening August 11:

August Data Sharing and Reuse Seminar

This seminar will discuss the growing evidence and the critical need to further study the role of the environment in human health and the importance of environmental justice to address existent inequalities in environmental exposures and related disease, with a focus on metal exposures, related molecular pathways and gene-environment interactions, and relevant interventions. Lessons learned from Indigenous communities and successful experiences in data sharing and reuse will be presented.

Event date: August 11, 2023.

Common Fund Announces New Request for Information

The National Institutes of Health Common Fund is announcing the release of its Strategic Planning Request for Information (RFI) to obtain new ideas on NIH-wide challenges and opportunities. The Common Fund supports bold scientific programs that catalyze discovery across all biomedical and behavioral research. These programs bring together investigators and multiple NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices to collaborate on innovate research. NIH is requesting ideas for biomedical and behavioral research challenges and opportunities that may become a new Common Fund Program or Initiative. Do you have an idea that would push fields of biomedical or behavioral research forward?

RFI closes August 11, 2023.

RADx Data Hub Webinar:

The NIH RADx Data Hub is one of the largest collections of NIH COVID data available to researchers. It allows researchers to explore, access, and analyze COVID-related data developed through NIH RADx program initiatives. Clearly identifiable and easily findable data is crucial for making data reusable in systems like the RADx Data Hub. 

The RADx Data Hub Partners will host a webinar highlighting how Digital Object (and other types) of identifiers are used to increase findability and accessibility in the RADx Data Hub and beyond. There will be an open Question and Answer session. The webinar will be recorded and made available to registrants.

Event date: August 15 from 3:00-4:00 Eastern.

In Case You Missed It

New Director's Blog

"Swapping Data Management Recipes"

ODSS Director Dr. Susan Gregurick recently published a blog highlighting the 2023 DataWorks! Prize Challenge that focuses on best-practice "recipes" for data management in biological and biomedical research, aiming to create an enduring impact by facilitating better data storage, sharing, and reuse.

On the Horizon

NOSI: Optimization of Data Storage and Utilization for the Sequence Read Archive

Raw DNA and RNA sequence data in the Sequence Read Archive (SRA) is used broadly and is growing exponentially. This NOSI seeks to attract projects that aim to develop strategies to reduce SRA storage costs and improve efficiency of the use of data in it. 

Due dates are ongoing!

NIH Publishes NOFO for Bioinformatics Resource Center (BRC) Program

NIH has published Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) RFA-AI-23-032 to solicit applications for the BRC Program that will:

- create and manage publicly accessible integrated knowledgebases to accelerate basic and applied human infectious diseases research,

- develop advanced innovative bioinformatics technologies for software and tools,

- offer critical bioinformatics expertise, outreach and instruction for investigators on use of resources and

- develop cutting-edge bioinformatics to respond to emerging needs, outbreaks, and public health emergencies.

As a whole, the BRC Program will address bioinformatics needs in the research community to accelerate the development of diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of infectious diseases. In addition, during an infectious disease outbreak, the BRCs will leverage their expertise, capabilities, and resources to provide bioinformatics support to the research communities.

Applications due August 25, 2023.

US-India IUSSTF STEB Call for Proposals on Quantum Technologies and Artificial Intelligence for Transforming Lives

The Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) and United States - India Science and Technology Endowment Fund (USISTEF) invite joint U.S.-India proposals for funding in Quantum Technologies and AI. Proposals are sought in healthcare and other sectors for technology development and commercialization. Eligible participants include commercial entities, startups, government, and academia with a focus on breakthrough technology innovation and addressing critical societal challenges. Proposals must demonstrate commercial viability within 2-3 years and incorporate a business plan.

Proposals due August 31.

Apply to Present a Poster with Kids First

Apply to present a poster with the NIH Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program (Kids First) and INvestigation of Co-occurring conditions across the Lifespan to Understand Down syndromE (INCLUDE) ancillary poster session!

Posters will be presented during the 2023 American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) Annual Meeting on Nov 3, 7:15 - 9:15 p.m. ET in Washington, DC. Share your research and connect with Kids First, whether in person or virtually.

Poster submissions accepted until Sept. 1.

Request for Information:

Building and Supporting a DOC Data Ecosystem

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) seeks to understand how to build and support a DOC data ecosystem that can better enable investigators and clinicians to extract insights from diverse, multi-dimensional, and heterogeneous datasets and apply the knowledge gained to improve oral and overall health of all individuals. As such, NIDCR is seeking input on the needs and best practices for DOC data storage, management, infrastructure, sustainability, and tools for use and reuse. 

Apply by September 25.

Clinical and Single-Cell Transcriptomics for Pneumonia Codeathon 

Apply now for the "Clinical and Single-Cell Transcriptomics for Pneumonia Codeathon" at Northwestern University from September 25th to 28th! This collaborative event, co-organized by NIAID/DMID Systems Biology Program, the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, and the NIAID/DMID BV-BRC, addresses challenges in clinical data integration and modeling for severe pneumonia. Explore unique datasets, tackle clinical outcome inference from single-cell transcriptomic data, and seize the opportunity for future collaborations. Don't miss your chance to participate, pitch ideas, and lead teams. Apply today and be part of this cutting-edge codeathon!

Contact katie.clepp@northwestern.edu for inquiries and check the full announcement for more information.

Event held September 25-28, 2023.

Enter the NIH Institutional Excellence in DEIA Prize Competition

The NIH Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity is now accepting applications for the Institutional Excellence in #DEIA Prize Competition!

Does your institution promote inclusive excellence and value a culture of DEIA in research environments? Cosponsored by NIH UNITE and 24 NIH institutes and centers, the prize competition aims to recognize institutions that have implemented interventions to address gaps in DEIA. Ten prize will be awarded $100,000 each.

Submit an entry by September 26, 2023.

Annual National Cancer Institute (NCI) Office of Data Sharing (ODS) Symposium

Save the date for the inaugural Annual NCI ODS Symposium on October 16–17, 2023, at the NIH Clinical Center's Masur Auditorium. Join us for this free hybrid event, where we will focus on the critical role of data sharing in advancing cancer research. Policymakers, scientists, clinicians, students, and stakeholders from government, academia, industry, and advocacy will come together to learn, collaborate, and explore new data sharing policies for the greater public benefit. Engage in discussions on participant contributions, data subtypes, data access, open science, good data stewardship, and research acceleration. This 1.5-day symposium will offer valuable learning sessions, panel discussions, and think tank opportunities to promote meaningful data sharing and usage in the pursuit of successful cancer treatment for every patient. For more information or general inquiries, email the Office of Data Sharing.

Event date: October 16-17, 2023.

NOSI: Advance Data Science Approaches Through Secondary Data Analysis to Reveal Scientific Insights of COVID-19 Testing Technologies

The RADx Initiative is driving some of the nation's most creative biomedical innovation by rapidly developing diverse COVID-19 testing technologies to national demands, with a focus on strategies for making testing broadly available, particularly to diverse, vulnerable, and underserved populations. The RADx Data Hub, is a centralized data repository for researchers to access datasets and analytic tools to the RADx program components.



The NOSI works to address questions and advance scientific inquiry related to SARS-CoV-2 through the existing data resources in the RADx DataHub, including and in conjunction with other data resources. The NOSI is designed to stimulate data science approaches by catalyzing the scientific value and revealing scientific insights through secondary analysis of existing data collected from the RADx programs.

Expiration Date: January 5, 2024.