Can better data collection accelerate our understanding of the links between mental health and cardiac research and care?
Katie Dinelle, the administrative director of The Royal’s Clinical Brain Research Centre, firmly believes it can. She and her team are thrilled to announce the launch of the Cardio-Neuro-Mind Data Platform (CNMDP), which promises to evolve the way data is collected and analyzed in mental health and cardiac research.
The CNMDP is a centralized hub for research data collection, storage, and analysis. It will ensure data is collected and curated in a standardized and accessible way. This platform will support research not only at The Royal, but also University of Ottawa Heart Institute, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Bruyère Research Institute, and beyond. The platform will connect to the University of Ottawa’s Brain Heart Interconnectome program to facilitate data sharing on a national and international level. This will be carried out in a manner that protects research participant privacy while maximizing the impact their contribution has on advancing our knowledge of mental health and other disorders.
Effective data collection, management, and sharing is the key to facilitating quicker and more accurate research, which can accelerate innovations in mental health, improve client care, inform policy, and drive the development of advanced technologies.
The platform empowers researchers from The Royal as well as partner organizations to explore complex data with ease through a simple web-based platform, and as Dinelle explains, “multiplies the power of the data being collected”, allowing for innovative interdisciplinary insights.
“By curating the data in a way that makes it easier to share and connect with other datasets the same data can be used multiple times to answer different questions – and quite possibly to answer very different questions than the researcher who collected the data had in mind,” says Dinelle. For example, the platform will allow scientists to take data collected primarily focused on mental health, and reconsider it from a cardiac health perspective.
The platform's official launch is scheduled for September, but the team is inviting the research community to begin beta testing. The $2.5 million project, made possible by a Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) grant, has been in development for the past two years.
Christie Aguiar, CNMDP project manager, and systems specialist Rami Hamati, along with partners at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), have been pivotal in bringing this project to life.
“The CNMDP is an exciting advancement for both our research participants and research teams,” says Aguiar. “Over the coming years, our research participants will play a pivotal role in shaping research outcomes, contributing to a wealth of data that promises to improve our understanding of mental, brain and heart health.”
One of the novel aspects of about the CNMDP is its advanced approach to data management and collaboration. It provides researchers with a robust infrastructure for data upload, secure storage, and advanced analysis tools, while following strict privacy regulations. This platform fosters collaboration and open science, accelerating the pace of discovery and ultimately improving client care.
“By facilitating data sharing and leveraging existing research with other research organizations, we aim to accelerate the pace of discovery, ultimately improving care for our clients,” says Aguiar.
Dr. Florence Dzierszinski, president of the University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR) at The Royal and vice-president of research, says that stronger partnerships and continued support are bringing us a step closer to our vision of healthier futures for all.
“The CNMDP represents a key part of our commitment to prioritize robust data management
and is a significant step forward in research and care,” says Dzierszinski. “It’s set to transform the landscape of mental, brain, and heart research and ultimately enhance the quality of care for our clients.”
For more information about the Cardio-Neuro-Mind Data Platform, go to theroyal.ca/research/cardio-neuro-mind-data-platform-cnmdp.