Enhancing Data Provenance To Safeguard Biomedical Research Integrity
The growing use of public data repositories has transformed how researchers access and analyze vast datasets.
Industry Insight Published: October 21, 2024
Isabel Ely, PhD speaking with Jonathan Jacobs, PhD
In today's biomedical research landscape, data integrity and provenance have become critical components of successful scientific investigations. The growing use of public data repositories has transformed how researchers access and analyze vast datasets â facilitating breakthroughs in genomics, transcriptomics and bioinformatics. However, these advancements have also introduced challenges, particularly regarding the reliability and traceability of shared data.
Data provenance â which tracks the origin, movement and transformations of data throughout its lifecycle â plays a crucial role in ensuring data integrity. Without robust provenance, researchers face difficulties assessing the quality of data, potentially leading to inaccurate conclusions and wasted resources. These issues are particularly pressing as more research relies on pooled datasets from multiple sources, where even minor inconsistencies can have far-reaching consequences.
Technology Networks recently spoke with Jonathan Jacobs, PhD, senior director of Bioinformatics and BioNexus principal scientist at the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), a nonprofit organization that collects, stores and distributes standard reference microorganisms, cell lines and other materials for research and development. Jacobs, who leads ATCCâs Sequencing & Bioinformatics Center, discussed how data provenance influences data integrity in scientific research and how a lack of standardization can lead to issues like data poisoning.
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