Neuroinformatics concerns itself with the information infrastructure (data, computation, models, results) that underlies neuroscience research. In collaboration with the CANDI program, we are searching for brain features that correlate with or predict various developmental outcomes; we know that these changes will be very subtle. This necessitates very large-scale studies in order to precisely identify the appropriate (and generalizable) relationships. Hence we require (and are participating in the development of) a neuroinformatics infrastructure to support the data and results aggregation necessary to carry out these studies.
Specifically, the Division’s efforts are targeted locally, nationally and internationally, and embrace an open-science, ‘precision research’ framework. Locally, we support data management and computational analysis infrastructure for CANDI, and other investigators beyond (CANDI Store). Nationally (and internationally), we are the originators and co-leaders of NITRC, the Neuroimaging Informatics Tools and Resources Collaboratory, a long-running NIH-funded clearinghouse for all information about tools and resources (software, data, hardware, etc.) related to neuroimaging (and neuro-observation, more broadly). We lead ReproNim, an NIH-funded, multi-site Biomedical Technology Research Center that is integrating many of the national neuroinformatics initiatives to enhance neuroimaging research reproducibility. We then bring these technologies back to neurodevelopment through CANDIShare, an NIH-funded initiative specifically focusing on standardizing the way research results are published to facilitate integration and aggregation of the accumulated knowledge in neurodevelopment and neurodevelopmental disorders.