THE INTERNATIONAL NEUROIMAGING DATA-SHARING INITIATIVE (INDI) SUMMER OF SHARING 2012
Open science initiatives
are transforming the neuroimaging community. Researchers who once
struggled to obtain 20-30 datasets now have unrestricted access to
thousands of scans, including data obtained from developing,
aging and clinical populations. Equally important, the sharing of data
analysis scripts and code is becoming increasingly common, thereby
enhancing the dissemination of knowledge and capabilities among
laboratories – as well as facilitating replication efforts.
Although exciting, we are only at the beginning. The success of open
science initiatives remains dependent upon continued community
participation.
Against
this background, the International Neuroimaging Data-sharing Initiative
(INDI) is pleased to announce the launch of its 2012 Summer of Sharing –
an effort dedicated to the sustenance
and acceleration of data and analytic resource sharing among imaging
community members. In order to accomplish its goal the INDI Summer of
Sharing initiative is requesting pledges for the contribution of:
1) DATA: Resting
state fMRI and/or diffusion data employed in published studies, along
with any available meta-data you’d like to share (See INDI Retro for
previously shared datasets; examples include Kelly C. et al., 2011 Bio
Psych, Keller C. et al., 2011 PNAS, and Power
J. et al., 2012 Neuroimage).
2) ANALYTIC RESOURCES:
Python, Matlab,
BASH, C/C++ - we’re not choosy! INDI is actively promoting the sharing
of analytic scripts and codes employed in published and/or ongoing
studies through NITRC and GitHub – if you post them, we’ll help to make
sure you’re recognized for it.
3) OPEN SCIENCE EVENTS: Just provide us the information and we’ll help to get the word out!
4) MISCELLANEOUS RESOURCES: Atlases, parcellation schemes, reference resources, etc. – everyone can benefit from them.
We are actively asking
investigators around the world to get involved in the sharing process.
Already, the following resources are scheduled for sharing this summer:
1) The Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE): a
global, multisite consortium of laboratories dedicated to the study of
autism that will release an aggregate dataset that is expected to
consist of nearly 500 individuals with autism, and their matched
typically developing controls.
2) The Enhanced NKI Rockland Sample: a
recently launched large-scale, R-fMRI and DTI cross-sectional,
community ascertained sample of individuals between 6 and 85 years of
age, accompanied by a deep phenotypic protocol that broadly samples
psychiatrically relevant behavioral domains.
3) Brainhack: a
Neuro-Bureau resource (http://brainhack.org/)
that points to collaborative projects in the field; the resource will
be complemented by the Brainhack 2012 Unconference – a workshop that
will blend the “unconference” and “hackathon” concepts to create a
unique collaborative experience for participants interested
in advancing analytic techniques and resources for functional and
structural imaging.
4) The Configurable Pipeline for the Analysis of Connectomes
(C-PAC): Building on the success of the release of the
1000 Functional Connectomes Project analysis scripts, the INDI team
will be releasing a plug-and-play Nipype-based pipeline package that is
easily configurable to accomplish a broad array
of resting-state fMRI analyses.
5) DPARSF and REST: With
the new releases of MATLAB-based user-friendly pipelines of Data
Processing Assistant for Resting-State fMRI (DPARSF 2.2) and
Resting-State
fMRI Data Analysis Toolkit (REST 1.8) (www.restfmri.net), users can
acquire resting-state fMRI measures efficiently (by parallel computing)
and conveniently (by GUI or command line).
6) Power et al. 2011 (Neuron): The authors are now sharing the summary community assignments from their work on fcMRI networks
(http://sumsdb.wustl.edu/sums/directory.do?id=8293343&dir_name=power_Neuron11),
and will release a suite of scripts through NITRC this summer, so that
others can replicate
these analyses and carry out related work. Additionally, later this
summer, the dataset used for this work will be released through INDI.
7) The Child Mind Institute (CMI) Librarian Initiative: Comprehensive hand-vetted and sorted reference libraries for various literatures,
including Resting State fMRI and Diffusion Tensor Imaging are now available via Mendeley, with monthly updates scheduled (http://www.mendeley.com/profiles/cmi-librarian/).
It is our hope that this
list is just the beginning. We will follow with updates throughout the
summer months. The success of open science depends on all of us – so get
involved, and Share That Brain!
The International Neuroimaging Data-sharing Initiative (INDI) is now sponsored by the Child Mind Institute (http://childmind.org).
