A newly published study involving researchers at University of Limerick has highlighted how a collaborative data science approach is revolutionising cancer research across the island of Ireland.
The lead scientists on the research, Professor Mark Lawler from Queen’s University Belfast and Professor Aedín Culhane from University of Limerick, are working together as part of the All-Island eHealth Hub for Cancer to link data from across Ireland.
Cancer is the leading cause of death on the island of Ireland. Half of all citizens will experience cancer at some stage in their lifetime. With an ageing demographic, the population >65 years old is estimated to more than double in the next 25 years.
The All-Island eHealth Hub for Cancer is an all-island partnership on the island of Ireland that is building data platforms and approaches using best practice open science international health data standards to unlock and share health data, to grow clinical cancer research and improve cancer care.
In this study, the researchers show that effective sharing of data, computer code and employing digital health expertise, is required to underpin the identification of new diagnostic methods and new targeted treatments for cancer.
Already, the All-Island eHealth Hub for Cancer has shown through a data-informed approach how precision medicines targeting particular features of a tumour can be more cost effective while also delivering better care for cancer patients than a “one size fits all” approach, providing a way to deliver innovative treatments within financially challenged health systems.
Professor Mark Lawler, Professor of Digital Health at Queen’s University Belfast, Co-Lead of the Higher Education Authority funded North South Research Programme’s eHealth Hub for Cancer and senior author on the paper, explains: “During the COVID pandemic, out of necessity, data privacy rules were relaxed, and data access for research was simplified in order to collect the data needed to both develop and test emerging COVID vaccines.
"We have shown that the same data sharing is crucial to help identify new and better ways to diagnose and treat cancer. Embedding a more open collaborative patient-centred ethos which has transformed the way in which we do science, is ushering in a data-enabled cancer research revolution.
"In the eHealth Hub for Cancer, we bring together different types of people from across the island of Ireland – epidemiologists, clinicians, data analysts, and computer scientists, all using their particular skills to address the challenge of cancer. Data sharing saves lives.”
Professor Aedín Culhane, Professor of Cancer Genomics and Director of the Limerick Digital Cancer Research Centre (LDCRC) at University of Limerick, Co-Lead of the eHealth Hub for Cancer and co-author on the paper, said: “Open science and data sharing are fundamental principles of the eHealth Hub for Cancer and LDCRC, driven by our deep commitment to accelerating advances in cancer research. When we pool our collective data and knowledge, we remove the silos that limit science, discover and bridge gaps in research, and propel innovative solutions.
“Our networked data analysis approach ensures data privacy and security by keeping data in its secure location. Instead of moving data, we port the analysis code to the data. By leveraging common data standards to harmonise data, we will enable networked studies across multiple sites and borders. These large-scale studies will deepen our understanding of cancer and personalised treatment approaches, leading to a brighter future for cancer patients.”
Dr Alan Wall, CEO of the Higher Education Authority (HEA), said: “The Higher Education Authority welcomes today’s publication and congratulates all involved in bringing it to this stage. The eHealth Hub is offering a new and unique opportunity for an open-source collaborative culture in cancer research that will benefit patients, researchers, and clinicians. We are delighted that the NSRP fund is delivering long-term sustainable innovations that will be delivered on an all-island basis and look forward to the future development of the eHealth Hub.”