Supporting Connectivity for Biomedical Research: Executive Session - April 24, 2006

Workshop Summary

On April 24, 2006, the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC), U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, sponsored a workshop titled Supporting Connectivity for Biomedical Research, in conjunction with the Internet2 Spring 2006 Member Meeting in Arlington, VA.

The workshop joined together experts and researchers from the biomedical and computer networking communities and federal science agencies to identify and discuss key challenges to improving network connectivity and utilization across a broad spectrum of users, including those with access to cutting-edge networks and those who have little or no connectivity. The charge to the group was to examine best practices for implementing collaborative research networks and to identify key needs and priorities for cyberinfrastructure development during the next 3 to 5 years. The workshop encouraged efforts to strengthen existing partnerships and build new partnerships among funding agencies, academic organizations, and the private sector to better coordinate, expand, and optimize investments in network infrastructure. In particular, the workshop sought to leverage natural intersections between biomedical research and health care in order to broaden community participation in health research and facilitate development oof clinical and translational research networks.

The workshop began with project presentations from NIH- and TATRC-supported researchers illustrating a broad spectrum of objectives that can be pursued through the formation of appropriately provisioned networks. Presentations outlined key challenges and lessons learned and focused on best practices. A draft white paper developed by staff from NCRR, TATRC, and Internet2 in collaboration with experts in relevant fields was circulated to participants prior to the workshop to further frame discussions at the workshop. Following the presentations, facilitated discussions addressed five key questions posed in the white paper:

  1. Is existing network infrastructure adequate to support interdisciplinary research across the health science spectrum? Will refinement or expansion of current network models suffice to meet anticipated needs, or are new models needed?
  2. Is existing network infrastructure adequate to bridge academic health centers and community health care providers in order to foster and stimulate community-based clinical and translational research? If not, what are the gaps, what will it take to close them, and how should efforts to close them be funded and prioritized?
  3. What are the needs of minority-serving institutions and institutions in rural or remote areas, and how can these needs be addressed to enhance opportunities for broader inclusion in biomedical research?
  4. Will the private marketplace and/or state and local governments be willing and able to shoulder the costs of developing and sustaining network infrastructure that meets anticipated research needs and ensures broad access to national and international research assets?
  5. If further development and expansion of research networks requires federal support, how can funding agencies balance the needs of their own missions against opportunities for collaboration where mutual interests exist? If collaborative approaches are warranted, how will agencies ensure adequate planning, coordination, and evaluation of inter-agency programs?

A final workshop report that summarizes the discussions and recommendations is now available.

For more information, please contact: Dr. Michael Sayre (sayrem@mail.nih.gov), Dr. Bret Peterson (petersob@mail.nih.gov), or Dr. Shelia McClure (mcclursh@mail.nih.gov).

Army-Connectivity TATRC LogoThis workshop is held in collaborative partnership with the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC), and is made possible in part by a conference grant administered through the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC).