Collaborations in Precision Medicine: Building the World's First Data Commons in NAFLD/NASH

Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre (SMS-IC) is a unique consortium of partners, comprising the NHS in Scotland, 4 Scottish Universities and industrial partners across informatics and genomics (Aridhia Ltd and... [ view full abstract ]

Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre (SMS-IC) is a unique consortium of partners, comprising the NHS in Scotland, 4 Scottish Universities and industrial partners across informatics and genomics (Aridhia Ltd and ThermoFisher Ltd). Close alignment and investment from these key stakeholders means that SMS-IC is able to bring together industry innovators, clinicians and world-class researchers to deliver precision medicine opportunities. This is achieved by linking Scotland’s domain expertise, data assets and delivery infrastructure.

The NASH Data Commons (NDC) is a unified data system that provides a comprehensive integrated knowledge system that will foster important discoveries in chronic liver diseases (CLD).  Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the commonest cause of CLD with a global presence of 25 % and is the leading aetiology for liver transplantation, with strong links to life-style choices, such as type II diabetes and obesity.  Early recognition and serial monitoring are as yet unmet but urgently required to prevent progression from steatosis to NASH, through to end-stage liver disease and associated complications.

In this presentation we will describe the key components in terms of expertise, delivery infrastructure and data assets that are being curated and developed to combine and build heterogeneous sets of data (see Figure). The NDC will combine  imaging, genomic, biobanking and electronic health records (eHR) to provide a rich data set that can be used to augment the ability of disparate users to navigate complex data and to generate new data, insights and innovations.  

One key aim of the NDC will be to provide insights into the hierarchy of importance of different pathways (metabolic/ fibrotic/inflammatory). Such insights will lead to the development of precision therapies. The NDC will be used to develop technologies and capabilities in four key areas: development of novel biomarkers, companion diagnostics, precision medicine clinical trials and to develop new therapeutics/treatment interventions that will require transformations of current clinical care pathways.