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SDSC Partners with ELSIhub to Advance Genomics Research Platform

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When genetic research advances faster than society's ability to grapple with its implications, where do researchers turn for guidance on the ethics of human genomics? More researchers are turning to digital platforms that connect legal scholars and scientists across intersections — and the University of California San Diego’s School of Computing, Information and Data Sciences’ San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) is now playing a crucial role in building that infrastructure.

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SDSC's Software Development Experience (SDX) team has recently partnered with the ELSIhub platform to enhance the digital tools serving researchers who study the ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) of genetics and genomics. Richard Wellner, a technical development lead at SDSC, oversees the SDX team’s effort to upgrade tools for a research community wrestling with questions ranging from genetic discrimination to the ethics of gene editing.

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“The partnership involves our team here at SDX, which is a part of SDSC’s Stack Science Division, to develop advanced features for ELSIhub's Drupal-based platform,” Wellner explained. “The Center for ELSI Resources and Analysis (CERA) operates as a national resource center for research and our work focuses on helping ELSI researchers share knowledge more effectively.”

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Wellner said that the SDX team is developing a new search engine to help researchers navigate the platform's extensive database of publications and resources more effectively. They're also building a self-service submission system that will allow community members to contribute research directly to the platform, streamlining how researchers share their work.

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"This partnership represents the kind of collaboration that's essential for addressing the complex challenges at the intersection of technology and society," Wellner said. "By enhancing ELSIhub's capabilities, we're helping ensure that ethical considerations keep pace with rapid advances in genomics research."

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The collaboration also includes development of a bulk data importer to help the ELSI team manage large datasets more efficiently, and the creation of discussion forums where researchers can engage in real-time conversations about emerging challenges in genomics. These technical enhancements serve a research community that includes bioethicists, legal scholars, geneticists and social scientists who study questions like how genetic information should be used in healthcare, research and policy.

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The enhanced platform serves researchers working on cutting-edge questions in genomics ethics, from the implications of direct-to-consumer genetic testing to the frameworks needed for gene editing technologies. By improving the technical infrastructure supporting this research, the SDSC-ELSIhub partnership aims to accelerate the development of ethical guidelines and policies that can keep pace with scientific advancement.

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“The collaboration reflects SDSC's broader mission to support research communities through advanced cyberinfrastructure,” said Sandeep Chandra, director of the Stack Science Division at SDSC. “As genomics research continues to raise new questions — from artificial intelligence applications in healthcare to the societal implications of genetic enhancement — platforms like ELSIhub are essential for enabling informed discussions between researchers, policymakers, and the public. Through this partnership, SDSC is equipping researchers with the technical tools they need to tackle these challenges effectively.”

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By Revah Navamshan and Kimberly Bruch

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