Cambridge-based charity DNAdigest spins out social enterprise Nucleobase to develop Open Source platforms to support efficient data access and secure knowledge sharing for genomics research. Data sharing, particularly in human genomics, is surrounded by privacy and security issues. These issues have traditionally resulted in a closed data culture. DNAdigest (registered charity no. 1154095, founded 2013) has been working to improve data access by prototyping solutions and promoting collaborations in genomics research through research and collaborative events in Cambridge and London. It is now spinning out Nucleobase, a social enterprise to develop Open Source software tools for researchers.
Nucleobase Ltd’s first product will be a collaborative data discovery platform which will be free for academic use. Vast quantities of data are generated each day but knowledge relating to potential cures for genetic diseases remains undiscovered, distributed through many data sets held by different institutions. Unlocking this data and enabling access to valuable sources of data that otherwise have remained hidden will transform scientific research worldwide, saving time, money and lives.
A vast amount of datasets, generated by research labs, languish around and are often lost or not re-used after the findings are being published in research papers. Most of these datasets hold valuable insights and have the potential to contribute (and make sense of) to many other research studies. Increased data visibility and accessibility will help expose disease causing variants and provide the evidence needed to generate statistically sound results. Eliminating data hoarding and facilitating the distribution of the knowledge generated will remove one of the most serious bottlenecks to genetic research.
Nucleobase will be co-located with DNAdigest at the Future Business Centre Cambridge where it will be further supported by the Social Incubator East. Nucleobase has already won the support of the Wayra UnLtd startup academy for social enterprises and was selected as a winner of the Big Venture Challenge 2014, providing support and matched funding for social enterprises. The first data discovery platform is set to launch in beta in the next six months.
Belinda Bell, Programme Director at Social Incubator East commented “Nucleobase has significant growth potential and will create financial returns alongside leading to massive positive social impact. We are delighted to be supporting the team on this journey.”
For more information please visit http://dnadigest.org and http://nucleobase.co.uk
For further information, please contact:
Fiona Nielsen, founder and CEO of DNAdigest and Nucleobase
Phone: 07427512155
Email: fnielsen@dnadigest.org
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