The Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) and the Research Data Alliance (RDA) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to announce their intention to coordinate efforts, with the goal of enabling responsible data sharing across geographies, institutions, and systems.
As part of this MoU, the RDA will become a Strategic Partner of GA4GH and collaborate with GA4GH’s governing bodies on topics of mutual interest. As an Organisational Affiliate of the RDA, GA4GH will be a member of the Organisational Assembly and collaborate with the RDA Council, Regional, and Technical Advisory Boards.
GA4GH is a not-for-profit alliance formed in 2013 that includes more than 500 leading organisations in healthcare, patient advocacy, research, ethics, government, life science, and information technology. Its mission is to accelerate progress in human health by establishing a shared global approach to responsible, broad, and democratised use of genomic and related health data.
Chief Executive Officer of GA4GH and President of GA4GH Inc. Peter Goodhand said, “In many ways, our organisations have mirrored each other over the last ten years as we have evolved. GA4GH and RDA have a similar mission, similar values, but a different focus, which will facilitate mutual learning. We are bringing groups of experts together, people with a common interest, to look at ways to standardise and create interoperability. This relationship will allow us to have an open exchange of knowledge and share best practices about how we do our work. Together, we will be able to anticipate future needs and reach a broader audience.”
As a community-driven organisation also launched in 2013, the RDA’s vision is that researchers and innovators will have the ability to openly share and reuse data across technologies, disciplines, and countries to address the grand challenges of society. Its mission is to build the social and technical bridges that enable that vision, accomplished through the creation, adoption, and use of the social, organisational, and technical infrastructure needed to reduce barriers to data sharing and exchange.
According to RDA Secretary General Hilary Hanahoe, “The RDA has a very active community working on health and life science data challenges so it is very important for us to have close ties with GA4GH to synchronise, align, and reduce any duplication of efforts. We are really enthusiastic about the agreement, having collaborated together for many years now. This agreement enables us to focus together on synergistic activities and to have the opportunity to add further value to our communities.”
Goodhand and Hanahoe came together at the GA4GH April Connect meeting in 2023, reflecting on both GA4GH’s and RDA’s ten year anniversaries. They participated in a fireside chat, during which Goodhand and Hanahoe noted the opportunity for intentional collaboration through a more concrete relationship, which galvanised the formal Strategic Partner and Organisational Affiliate statuses.
Going forward, both RDA and GA4GH will cross-promote relevant news, activities, and events to their international communities. They will also identify and coordinate joint activities, such as the development of working groups or work proposals. Together, the two organisations will leverage their individual and collective expertise to bridge topics of varying breadth and depth to drive responsible international data sharing.
This article was first published on 12 July by RDA.
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