An Imaging Biobank to Precisely Prevent and Predict cancer, and facilitate the Participation of oncologic patients to Diagnosis and Treatment
Programme: Bando Salute Regione Toscana 2018
Duration: 2020 – 2023
Coordinator/Beneficiary: Università di Pisa
Academic Coordinator: Prof. Emanuele Neri (UNIPI)
Partners: University of Pisa ISTI-CNR Institute of Information Science and Technologies of the National Research Partner Council – IFAC-CNR “Nello Carrara” Institute of Applied Physics of the Partner National Research Council – AUSL-TC Azienda USL Toscana Centro – AOUS Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese – AOUC Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Careggi External partecipants – Azienda Regionale di Sanità – Department of Computer Science and Technology of the University of Cambridge – Centre for Intellectual Property Policy & Management of Bournemouth University – Fondazione SIRM
Website: http://navigator.med.unipi.it/
NAVIGATOR project aims to boost 4P precision medicine in oncology by advancing translational research based on quantitative imaging and multi-omics analyses, towards a better understanding of cancer biology, cancer care, and, more generally, cancer risk. The project will deliver a technological solution relying on:
an open imaging Biobank, collecting and preserving large amount of quality, standardised imaging data and related omics data in a secure and privacy-preserving model. Data will include CT, MRI and PET data for various tumour settings, clinical data from regional healthcare services, molecular and liquid biopsy data
an open-science oriented Virtual Research Environment, available for medical researchers and general clinical stakeholders, to process the multi-omics data to (i) extract gold-standard and novel imaging biomarkers based on Radiomics analyses; and (ii) create and test digital patient models, through Big data analytics and Artificial Intelligence techniques, mining cancer phenotypes, stratified risks and responsivity to therapy.
Objectives
- Coordination and dissemination of the overall project activities.
- Design and operation of a Biobank containing standardised imaging data and related omics data.
- Design and operation of VRE that offer web access to a digital laboratory where are available data analytics tools based on Radiomics and IA algorithms to test and validate novel or known biomarker.
- Collection of quantitative imaging data (CT, MRI and PET) for three relevant tumour cases: colorectal, prostate and gastric cancer.
- The extraction and storage of imaging biomarkers with the definition of digital patient models.
- Definition of policies for operating the NAVIGATOR service infrastructure ensuring: privacy and security preserving and its sustainability after the project closure.