DATA-ENABLED LIFE SCIENCES ALLIANCE

Spring 2013 Newsletter

Lots of changes at DELSA!
In this newsletter you will find:

•Upcoming meeting on May 16th & 17th in Bethesda, MD

•Membership & Partnership information

•DELSA Hubs

 If you’d like to get involved with any aspect of DELSA, please contact Eugene Kolker at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any questions or more information. Thank you!

 

DW4 Coming Soon!
Our next major annual DELSA Global meeting is just around the corner. DELSA Workshop IV (DW4) will be held on May 16th and 17th at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bethesda, Maryland (the same location as was used in May 2011 and 2012), next to the U.S. capital.

 

We are excited to introduce a new format this year as we interweave an event involving a new and fascinating life sciences movement with updates about DELSA’s own growth and efforts. Dr. Larry Smarr, the distinguished physicist and computer scientist at University of California San Diego and pioneer in the field of quantified human biology, will be our keynote speaker. You can read more about some of Dr. Smarr's contributions to science in this article from The Atlantic
To register or for more information about DW4, please visit our webpage.

Summary of DW3

DELSA wrapped up our second workshop of 2012 on October 9th. We hosted a co-located workshop event at the eScience 2012 Meeting in Chicago, IL. We presented updates on a selection of DELSA Endorsed Projects. 

• Social Networking Platform for Tool Brokering, Community Building and Matchmaking,
• Conceptualization and Analysis of the 3D Virtual Cell,
• Internet2 Application,
• Training Data & Life Scientists,
• Pregnancy Atlas Use Case, and
• Data Set Accessibility Project.
In addition to current Endorsed Projects, we also discussed new avenues for DELSA to explore as detailed below.

 

New Organizational Structure
After much discussion at DW3, the Board of Directors has decided to revise DELSA’s organizational structure. In addition to the Community Endorsed Projects, which are primarily short-term developments, DELSA is introducing its Working Groups. Working groups are being formed to strategically focus on building DELSA Community and are primarily long-term efforts. Both the Working Groups and the Endorsed Projects will now report to a newly formed Steering Committee which will be overseen by the Board of Directors. Our organizational structure will be as follows in the chart below.

Endorsed Projects & Working Groups
In addition to the Endorsed Projects that were finalized last summer, one new project was added after DW3. The first new project focuses on organizing a workshop to bring researchers in the environmental, ecological and biomedical sciences together as a way to synergize and advance transdisciplinary research. This Project will be led by Paul Wilmes of the University of Luxembourg. A few previously Endorsed Projects are now being transformed into Working Groups with the addition of one new Working Group on International Outreach – see below.
* indicates a new group after DW3.

Working Groups:

Social Networking Platform for Tool Brokering/Community Building and Matchmaking
Data Set Accessibility
Training Data & Life Scientists
*DELSA International Outreach

Endorsed Projects:

*Synergies between Environmental, Ecological, and Biomedical Sciences
Internet2 Application
Conceptualization and Analysis of the 3D Virtual Cell
Pregnancy Atlas Use Case
Global Protein Atlas
ParaMEDIC Use Case

 

As always, if you are interested in working with us on any of our projects or working groups, please contact our program coordinator Courtney MacNealy-Koch at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and she will put you in touch with the lead.

Rolling Out Membership
We are officially opening membership to DELSA. Memberships will be on the individual level and are currently free! In the future, we hope to include benefits such as discounted registration fees and early registration for workshops and more.

 

Partnerships
Around the world, many organizations are “Accelerating the impact of Data-Enabled Life Sciences Research on the pressing needs of the global society” through their efforts. DELSA Global is seeking to build partnerships with these groups because we are convinced that even greater progress is possible when we work together.

 

We accept partnerships at any level. Whether it is your team, lab, department, school, university, company, enterprise, or another community, we welcome any size group that supports our vision and mission.

The purpose of a Partnership is to:

• Enable Partner guidance of DELSA through participation in our Governance Structure
• Engage Partners in periodic DELSA conference calls to coordinate work and provide direct feedback on the Endorsed Projects, Working Groups and DELSA as an organization
• Inform Partner stakeholders about our shared goals by joint dissemination of DELSA news, such as including stories about DELSA in Partner materials and publications, and offering presentations on DELSA at Partner conferences and events
• Obtain support for stakeholders who engage with DELSA, especially those working on Endorsed Projects and Working Groups.

 

In order to support the work of our Partners and our joint mission, DELSA provides:

• Networking opportunities with DELSA’s Members and Partners
• Opportunities for Partners to join with DELSA on specific initiatives and projects
• Recognition on the DELSA website
• Access to materials to help educate their members and stakeholders about DELSA
• Direct Communications with DELSA staff that provide an opportunity to give direct feedback
• The opportunity to nominate a member or staff person to serve as a member of the DELSA Steering Committee
• …and more as DELSA continues to develop.

 

If you are interested in becoming a member or partner with DELSA, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

 

DELSA Hubs
Currently, DELSA is based at Seattle Children’s Research Institute, but the Board of Directors envisions a de-centralized global network comprised of regional champions (receptors) connected to the hubs. We are establishing an initial definition of this approach, analyzing the risks vs. benefits, and if necessary determining a strategy for implementation. Several DELSA Hubs are currently being organized and will be discussed at DW4 in DC.