Notice Number: NOT-HG-19-024

Key Dates
Release Date: July 05, 2019

Issued by
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Purpose

The NHGRI Genomic Data Science Analysis, Visualization, and Informatics Lab-space, or ‘AnVIL,’ is a secure, cloud-based environment where researchers will be able to store, share, and analyze key unrestricted- and controlled-access genomic datasets and associated phenotypic data or metadata, particularly those generated with NHGRI funding or support. NHGRI funds and manages AnVIL through cooperative agreements.

AnVIL is implementing security configurations and controls for its data management system that are equivalent to those of certified FISMA Moderate systems. As of March 2019, NHGRI has determined that AnVIL provides data management, data sharing, and data security controls consistent with the NIH Genomic Data Sharing (GDS) Policy, the NIH Security Best Practices for Controlled-Access Data and the Notice for Use of Cloud Computing Services for Storage and Analysis of Controlled-Access Data Subject to the NIH Genomic Data Sharing (GDS) Policy. Therefore, AnVIL has been approved as an NIH-designated data repository for the storage, management, and sharing of genomic data.

AnVIL serves as the primary data repository for NHGRI-funded genomic datasets submitted for sharing after March 2019. AnVIL may also include some datasets submitted to NIH prior to March 2019 that reside within the database for Genotypes and Phenotypes (dbGaP); those data may be moved to AnVIL as appropriate.

AnVIL follows the NIH GDS Policy for submitting and accessing controlled access genomic datasets, including associated metadata and phenotype data. Principal Investigators and consortia investigators on NHGRI-funded projects will share pre-release data according to existing NIH GDS practices and according to consortium-level data use agreements.

Researchers from the broad scientific and clinical community interested in accessing data hosted by AnVIL will apply for data access through the NIH Authorized Access Portal located on dbGaP, and NIH Data Access Committees (DACs) will review and make determinations about these requests per the NIH GDS Policy.

AnVIL is part of the emerging federated genomic data commons ecosystem, which includes other cloud-based data commons established within and outside the NIH.

Staff from AnVIL primary grantee institutions and their subcontractors with responsibility for maintaining and securing AnVIL data and software will have only operational access to the data in AnVIL, as expected under the terms and conditions of the AnVIL cooperative agreements. No staff associated with AnVIL will have privileged access to the data beyond the scope of repository operations.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Valentina Di Francesco, M.S.
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
Telephone: 301-480-2261
Email: vdifrancesco@mail.nih.gov

Ken Wiley Jr, Ph.D.
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
Telephone: 301-435-5540
Email: ken.wiley@nih.gov