The ability to combine datasets from multiple projects and institutions all over the world can greatly accelerate scientific research. In the healthcare and biomedical research ecosystems, however, data generators store their data in a myriad of formats, structures, and locations. These technical differences have made it challenging for researchers to search, aggregate, and analyse data from multiple sources. Correspondingly, it is expensive for data providers to restructure existing data to fit the requirements of highly-structured, highly-opinionated sharing systems.
As a result, the data goes unshared and undiscovered. Developed by the GA4GH Discovery Work Stream, the Data Connect API aims to address this problem by providing a simple, flexible mechanism to connect researchers to information about otherwise disparate datasets, regardless of how the data was originally stored or formatted.

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Benefits
- Works with any data that can be serialised as an array of JSON objects
- Supports federation
- Can be implemented across a large variety of data stores
Target users
Researchers, data custodians, and developers
| Title | Related Driver Projects and Organisations |
|---|---|
| MSSNG Genetics Application System | Autism Speaks, Autism Sharing Initiative |
| Omics AI | Autism Sharing Initiative |
Publications
| Title | Author(s) | Year |
|---|---|---|
| International federation of genomic medicine databases using GA4GH standards | 2021 |
Documents
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| 14 September 2023 | Code of Ethics and Community Conduct (CECC) |
| 10 May 2023 | Meeting minutes: Discovery (2021 to 2023) |
| 11 March 2023 | Meeting minutes: Discovery — Data Connect (2021 to 2023) |
| 7 December 2020 | Meeting minutes: Discovery — Data Connect (2021 to 2022) |
| 25 January 2019 | Meeting minutes: Discovery (2019 to 2020) |
| 25 September 2017 | Meeting minutes: Discovery (2017 to 2018) |
Videos
| Date | Title | |
|---|---|---|
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4 March 2022 | Getting started with Data Connect |
Contributors
Don't see your name..?
Get in touch- Miro CupakData Connect LeadVerily, South San Francisco, CA, USA
- Jonathan FuerthData Connect LeadDNAstack, Toronto
- Michael BaudisUniversity of Zurich, Zurich
- Shu Hui ChenNIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Bethesda
- Marc FiumeDNAstack, Toronto
- Ian ForeNIH National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)
- David GlazerVerily, South San Francisco, CA, USA
- Dean HartleyAutism Speaks, Princeton
- Alice MannWellcome Sanger Institute (WSI), Hinxton, UK
- Jimmy PayyappillyEMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI), Hinxton, UK
- Kathy ReinoldIndependent Contributor
- Nara SobreiraJohns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Maryland
Driver Projects
| Title | Thematic Area |
|---|---|
| Autism Sharing Initiative | Complex Traits |
Version history
| Version | Maintenance | Development | PDAP Review | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data Connect v1.0 | Maintained | Development | Draft | 22 Jun 2021 |
