Big Data as the Foundation of a Novel Training Platform for Biomedical Researchers in Qatar

Technological breakthroughs witnessed over the past decade have led to an explosive increase in molecular profiling capabilities. This has ushered a new “data-rich era” for biomedical researchers. Indeed the recent availability of vast compendia of biomedical “Big Data” offers unique opportunities to devise novel approaches to knowledge discovery. We have launched an innovative “Collective Data to Knowledge” (CD2K) platform at the Sidra Medical and Research Center, which provides a hands-on accelerated training path for young biomedical researchers. The originality of this approach stems from the fact that it does not rely on de novo generation of data but leverages instead large dataset collections available in public repositories for the discovery of novel scientific knowledge. It does however recapitulates all other steps involved on the path to transformation of data into novel biomedical knowledge, including knowledge gap assessment and prioritization, hypothesis generation and testing, and generation of reports for publication in peer reviewed journals. Furthermore, besides providing accelerated hands-on training it also potentially constitutes a highly efficient approach to the generation of intellectual capital in Qatar.