Foundation Calls Computational Analysts to Develop
Quantitative Models from Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative Dataset Answering Fundamental Questions on Parkinson's
Progression and Sub-types Will Assist in Development and Testing of New
Therapies
Two Winners Will Each Receive a $25,000 Prize
NEW YORK, June 8, 2016
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's
Research (MJFF) today announced a data challenge to answer fundamental
questions about Parkinson's disease and accelerate development and testing of
new therapies. Data scientists can apply to win a $25,000 prize for using
de-identified, open-access information from the Parkinson's Progression Markers
Initiative (PPMI) — a longitudinal, observational study sponsored by MJFF — to
answer one of these questions:
• What factors at baseline predict clinical
progression?
• What are the sub-types of Parkinson's disease?
"PPMI offers an unprecedented set of
clinical, molecular and imaging data to construct models that will help better
characterize Parkinson's disease," said Todd Sherer, PhD, CEO of The
Michael J. Fox Foundation. "The variability of Parkinson's challenges
therapeutic development and testing; answers to these questions would help us
target and treat this disease better and faster."
Submissions are due Wednesday, September 7,
2016, and will be judged on methodology, predictive accuracy of statistical
model and algorithms; and impact, relevancy and usability in Parkinson's
research. MJFF and external reviewers will evaluate the submissions, and
winners will be named in November. Interested applicants are invited to attend
a live webinar on Tuesday, June 21, 2016, for more information on the challenge
and to ask questions. Visit https://www.michaeljfox.org/research/data-science.html
to learn more, register for the webinar and apply for the data challenge prize.
Given the scope and breadth of the PPMI
dataset, applicants may request to be matched with a Parkinson's researcher for
assistance in navigating the dataset and prioritizing relevance to disease
diagnosis and progression.
Launched in 2000, PPMI has enrolled nearly
1,000 participants: people with early-stage Parkinson's, those with clinical
risk factors (hyposmia, or smell loss, and REM sleep behavior disorder),
carriers of genetic mutations associated with Parkinson's (both individuals
with the disease and without), and control volunteers. Over five years,
participants undergo clinical assessments, contribute biological samples and
complete imaging scans. After the initial five years, volunteers can continue
contributing data and biosamples through a modified protocol.
The study is supported by 17 industry
partners, including GE Healthcare, which will provide one of the $25,000
prizes. (MJFF will provide the other.)
"GE Healthcare is excited to participate
in this open innovation project with The Michael J. Fox Foundation that will
leverage the unique PPMI data set to develop innovative digital solutions in
the management of Parkinson's disease," said Etienne Montagut, global product
leader-Neurology and Cardiology, GE Healthcare's Life Sciences business.
"I'm confident the project can ultimately improve diagnosis and prognosis
in PD that will lead to better patient outcomes."
The primary aim of PPMI is to identify and
validate biological markers of Parkinson's disease for diagnosis, tracking and
intervention testing. In parallel, though, this rich dataset can provide a
platform for discovery and replication of varied research findings. PPMI has
made de-identified data available in real-time since its launch, and the
open-access set has been downloaded more than 620,000 times.
This challenge leverages PPMI data to
characterize the heterogeneous disease. Parkinson's is highly variable, with
age of onset, rate of progression, and type and severity of symptoms different
across the 5 million worldwide living with the disease. Identifying models for
prognosis and sub-typing would aid in subject selection for clinical studies
and design of trials toward novel therapies.
About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for
Parkinson's Research
As the
world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's research, The Michael J. Fox
Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson's disease and
improved therapies for those living with the condition today. The Foundation
pursues its goals through an aggressively funded, highly targeted research
program coupled with active global engagement of scientists, Parkinson's
patients, business leaders, clinical trial participants, donors and volunteers. In
addition to funding more than $600 million in research to date, the Foundation
has fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. Operating
at the hub of worldwide Parkinson's research, the Foundation forges
groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic scientists and
government research funders; increases the flow of participants into
Parkinson's disease clinical trials with its online tool, Fox Trial Finder;
promotes Parkinson's awareness through high-profile advocacy, events and
outreach; and coordinates the grassroots involvement of thousands of Team Fox
members around the world.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-michael-j-fox-foundation-announces-25000-data-challenge-to-advance-parkinsons-understanding-and-study-design-300281562.html?
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