Following its landmark industry study on the advance of genomics into healthcare, Cambridge Healthtech Associates (CHA) conducted an industry Think Tank on Big Data for Genomic Healthcare. The invitation-only, high-level event took place at Bio-IT World in Boston on April 12, 2013. The event was a combination of keynotes and interactive sessions, and concluded with a set of clear industry recommendations and action plans – developed by session participants.

The original I-Study panel wrote: Clearly “big data” software will play a major and enabling role in genomic interpretation. Today, however, the conceptual gap between the technology players and this application area is wide and the pick-up is slow. We call for a series of workshops and public reports between the technology leaders in big data, and each of the study’s 12 sectors, to help close this gap. Overall, this could speed the adoption and value-add of these transformational technologies.

Participants at the I-Study Think Tank were called on to be inspirational and to be inspired by the thought leaders, visionaries and industry luminaries who were present at this event. CHA will publish the group’s recommendations to help jump-start our collective efforts in ‘Big Data for Genomic Healthcare’. We strictly limited the attendance at this Think Tank to senior-level executives from academic, government, not-for-profit and industry organizations. That is, only those who have the ability and the power to ‘take action’ and move their organizations in new directions. Appropriate titles, of course, were: C-level, President, General Manager, Executive Director, Senior VP, Vice President, Senior Director, Board Member, etc.

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KEYNOTE and WORKSHOP TOPICS

1. Lessons Learned from Groundbreaking Implementations in Other Industries
2. Empowering Developments in Big Data Technology for Genomic Healthcare
3. Clinical Applications: Top Near-term Opportunities/Challenges/Resolutions
4. Research Applications: Top Near-term Opportunities/Challenges/Resolutions
5. Bridging the Gap of Healthcare Users and Big Data Technologists

TOPIC LEADERS

	Martin Kohn (Keynote Speaker)Chief Medical ScientistIBM Watson		Tiffany OlsonFormer CEO & PresidentRoche Diagnostics North America
	Felix FreuhFormer PresidentMedco Research Institute		Ron RanauroPrincipal, Incite AdvisorsFormer CEO, GenomeQuest
	Mark BoguskiFounderGenome Health		Iya KhalilCo-Founder and EVPGNS
	Michael SwartzVP, Knowledge ManagementPerkin Elmer		Fred LeeDirector of Clinical and Translational Informatics, Health SciencesOracle
	Dan HousmanFounderRecombinant/Deloitte		Sally JohnExecutive Director, Human GeneticsPfizer
	David de GrafCEOSelventa		Stephen TannerSenior Manager, BioinformaticsIllumina