The gear portal - advancing data sharing, analysis and discovery for hearing and balance research

Active Cooperative Agreement Awarded Last action

Award ID
U01DC019370
Recipient
Awarding agency
Obligated
$4,766,662

Award facts

Completion date 93% complete
Originally
Place of performance
Baltimore, MD 21201, USA

Award details come from USAspending.gov.

Description

Abstract
Discovery in biological sciences has shifted to increasingly rely on high throughput multi-omic data. The advent of single cell (SC) transcriptomics further revolutionized research in our field, given the intricate structure of the inner ear organs consisting of numerous distinct cell types that function in concert to properly sense hearing and balance. Harnessing the wealth of existing and future multi-omic, multi-modality and multi-species data is challenged by their ever-increasing data size and relative inaccessibility to biologists that are not trained in bioinformatics. The gear, gene expression analysis resources (umgear.ORG), is a cloud-based `one-stop- shop' where inner ear-related multi-omic data can be explored and analyzed by biologists without requiring programming skills. Over the past five years, the gear has become a critically valuable resource to our field. The impact of the gear on the field is reflected by its 846 registered users, 440 datasets (over 70 organized in thematic profiles in the public domain), and thousands of monthly visits. The goal of this proposal is to implement necessary improvements in the gear that will significantly enhance the ability of researchers to infer biological insights from the omics data generated by their own laboratories and from omics datasets in the public domain. We will: (1) continuously upload and curate ear- related multi-omic data from contributing laboratories and the public domain; (2) construct an integrated epigenetic and transcriptomic atlas of the developing and mature mouse cochlea (a) as a necessary scaffold for cross dataset integration, and (b) as necessary data for bridging the GAP between gene expression and gene regulation; (3) implement advanced bioinformatic analytical tools in the gear; (4) enhance the user- interface; (5) make scalability, performance and stability improvements; (6) integrate the gear with analytical notebooks to allow more complex analyses with minimal training; and (7) continue our education and outreach efforts. In addition to user-surveys, we will establish both user and technology expertise advisory boards to provide feedback and guide development. Diverse expertise is required for the efficient operation and development of the gear bioinformatics platform. Our multi-disciplinary team members are a surgeon-scientist (PI), bioinformaticians (CO-is), biologists and engineers. Our experience in turning the gear from an abstract idea to a successful platform, widely adapted in the ear field, and with multiple successful clones including nemo analytics (nemoanalytics.ORG) for the brain initiative should attest to our experience, expertise, and ability to deliver. Completion of the proposed gear advancements will boost fulfillment of the great promises expected from omics data generation and analyses and foster reuse of existing data, thereby catalyzing both basic science discovery and advance development and translation of therapeutics for hearing and balance disorders.

Transactions

Action Obligated Date
Amendment $0
Amendment $58,090
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Amendment $522,807
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Amendment $586,898
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Amendment $607,768
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Original award $607,768
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Subawards

Subrecipient Amount Awarded
Tel Aviv University The gEAR portal - Advancing Data Sharing, Analysis and Discovery for Hearing and Balance Research. -$25,970
Tel Aviv University $20,000

Quick answers

Who received award U01DC019370?

U01DC019370 was awarded to University Of Maryland, Baltimore by National Institute on Deafness and Other Communincation Disorders (National Institutes of Health) on April 9, 2021.

How much is award U01DC019370 worth?

$4,766,662 has been obligated on U01DC019370.

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