Funding to make data ready for AI and machine learning
*The authors thank their colleagues in the NIA Artificial Intelligence and Data Sharing Working Groups for their support on this post.
Biomedical data science is fast evolving, thanks in large part to the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies as powerful additions to the scientific community’s toolbox. The challenge is harnessing the massive data flow — including what’s produced by NIA-supported research — and making it easier for investigators to tap into. Several teams at NIA and across the broader NIH are working on solutions, and we’re pleased to announce supplemental funding is now available in four key areas to help researchers modernize their data.
FAIR data that you can TRUST
NIH data policy aims to make data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR). NIH also aims to ensure that our data repositories align with the Transparency, Responsibility, User focus, Sustainability, and Technology (TRUST) principles. The goal is to have high-impact data usable with AI or ML applications to improve our understanding of healthy aging and identify factors and interventions associated with disease resistance and successful treatments.
Supplementing four key data areas
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2021, NIA partnered with the NIH Office of Data Science Strategy (ODSS) to supplement active NIA research projects in four key focus areas. The NIA community responded robustly to this opportunity, resulting in 23 supplement awards across these four notices of special interest (NOSIs). ODSS funded 19 supplements and NIA supported four, investing a combined total of nearly $6 million.
In the true spirit of open science, this funding will aid the development of teaching materials, workshops, and freely accessible online content so that other investigators can train their students. For example, these awards support scientists who are creating classes and curricula aimed at making data AI/ML-ready and aligned with FAIR and TRUST principles.
Moving forward
In FY 2022, NIA is again partnering with ODSS and has joined four Notices of Special Interest (NOSIs). Three are reissues of last year’s notices:
- NOT-OD-22-067: Administrative Supplements to Support Collaborations to Improve the AI/ML-Readiness of NIH-Supported Data connects expertise in biomedicine and data management to make NIH-supported data useful and usable for AI/ML analytics. Contacts: Jean Yuan or AI-readiness@nih.gov.
- NOT-OD-22-068: Administrative Supplements to Support Enhancement of Software Tools for Open Science supports collaborations between biomedical scientists and software engineers to enhance the design, implementation, and cloud-readiness of research software. Contacts: Leonid Tsap or softwaresupplements@nih.gov.
- NOT-OD-22-069: Support for Existing Data Repositories to Align With FAIR and TRUST Principles and Evaluate Usage, Utility, and Impact would help existing data repositories to increase “FAIR”-ness and “TRUST”-worthiness to improve their usage, utility, and impact throughout the data resource lifecycle. Contacts: Luci Roberts or reposupport@nih.gov.
The fourth supplement opportunity is new this year:
- NOT-OD-22-065: Administrative Supplements for Advancing the Ethical Development and Use of AI/ML in Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences boosts active NIH grants that have a significant AI, ML, and/or ethics component. The aim is to build collaborative expertise to advance the understanding, tools, metrics, and practices for the ethical development and use of AI/ML in biomedical and behavioral sciences. Contacts: Marcel Salive or ai-ethics@nih.gov.
If you’re as excited about the nexus of IT and healthy aging research as we are, we hope you’ll apply for these NOSIs to potentially accelerate your projects! If you have questions, please email the contacts listed above or leave a comment below.
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