Information from data analysis leads to a new discovery. Recently, the need for analysis of more enlarged databases or across multiple databases has increased. Those trends have created a new stream of data science called big data.
Global trend for personalized medicine is remarkable. It has begun to utilize personal genome analysis for medical treatments. Some genomic epidemiology studies require huge size of data from tens of million people. If personal genome information is incorporated with such studies, there are technical challenges for large-scale, high throughput analyses in a secure, efficient, and precise manner against big data.
This proposal, entitled?"Strategy for Integration and Application of Databases in the Fields of Life Science and Clinical Medicine", addresses the next-generation strategy for integrating accumulated data from previous database projects in Japan. Databases of basic science, clinical medicine, and personal genomes should be integrated and analyzed to produce innovation in personalized medicine and life science. Sensitive bioinformation must be carefully handled. This proposal balances privacy protection with public benefits from data science using personal, medical, and genomic records.
This proposal consists of three propositions: (1) data standardization, legislation, and infrastructure for information sharing, (2) development of innovative technologies for processing or analyzing life science data and medical records, and (3) human resources development for promoting research and development in bistatistics and bioinformatics. Implementing these propositions together will bring outputs such as realization of the personalized medicine. We recommend to carry out this proposal rapidly, as people can realize its outcomes such as promotion of public health.

- Proposition 1: Improvement of infrastructure for information network
Data standardization promoting data exchange
Legislation balancing privacy protection and data utilization
Establishment of the steering committee for data network via cooperation among all relevant governmental agencies
- Proposition 2: Research and development in data processing and analysis
Promotion of cutting-edge data science in the fields of medical and life science
Organization of data centers that can manage sensitive information in security
- Proposition 3: Human resources development
Continuous employment of engineers operating stable information services
Development of human resources in biostatistics and bioinformatics