Translational Research Data Challenges

Our Translational Research Data Challenges initiative provides innovative, digital infrastructure solutions to real-world problems like bushfires, food security and human diseases.
Translational Research Data Challenges

Collaborating with partners from governments, research institutions and industry, the ARDC is running projects that help address societal problems by removing barriers to the access, analysis and curation of data. Projects are problem-based, national-scale, collaborative, unique, enduring and integrative across technological, cultural and organisational silos.

The Translational Research Data Challenges approach starts with a pressing societal problem, such as disaster resilience, crop yields or obesity. Through stakeholder consultations, key data challenges are identified – such as data scale, sensitivity, availability and usability – that currently impede the advancement of solutions to these societal problems. Projects focus on the development of digital infrastructure solutions, drawing on capabilities such as quality data collections and analytic platforms, underpinning compute and storage, informatics and data science expertise, as well as relevant governance and policy frameworks.

Project Characteristics

Translational Research Data Challenges projects are:

Problem-based

Generate specific target outcomes aligned with societal challenges and the ARDC’s objective to transform research through better data and tools.

National-scale

Deliver high-impact solutions that contribute to the development of a nationally coherent eResearch infrastructure environment.

Collaborative

Build significant collaborative partnerships with stakeholders from governments, universities, publicly funded research agencies and industry to drive interoperability and share best practices.

Unique

Fill strategic gaps in the research and operational environment, complement existing national initiatives, and focus on areas where leading edge digital capability can make a unique contribution.

Enduring

Contribute to the long-term enhancement of translational research through the implementation of sustainable infrastructure.

Integrative

Create holistic solutions by bringing together diverse data, tools, research, operations, domains, disciplines, jurisdictions and sectors.

Explore the ARDC’s Translational Research Data Challenges

Bushfire Data Challenges

The recent drought, bushfire and pandemic disasters presented enormous challenges for Australia. They highlighted the need for systemic information infrastructure to contribute to the analysis, response and management of such crises, as well as to monitor the long-term impacts.

In response to this acute demand, the ARDC identified disaster resilience and risk reduction as the focus for a Translational Research Data Challenge, with an initial focus on the impact area of bushfires.

Food Security Data Challenges

Long-term strategies are needed to ensure Australia has a resilient and sustainable food industry that maintains its reputation in delivering high quality food nationally and internationally. The food industry is a strong contributor to the Australian economy.

To enhance research into food production, supply, consumption and waste, the ARDC launched the Food Security Data Challenges. The program will address the challenge of sustainable development, with an initial focus on food security.

Disease Data Challenges

Disease Data Challenges is looking for mission-driven projects that address research data challenges in 2 initial focus areas, cancer and infectious diseases.

The initiative will be aligned with the ARDC’s People Research Data Commons, which is establishing national-scale data infrastructure for health research and research translation.

We are holding a series of workshops in late February and early March 2025 with the research community to uncover data challenges and data infrastructure gaps in cancer and infectious disease research.

Contact the ARDC

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