INCLUDE Cloud Credits Pilot Program

The NIH-funded INCLUDE Project (INCLUDE) focuses on Down syndrome, with goals to improve the health and well-being of individuals with Down syndrome, and also to learn about risk and resilience factors for common diseases that they share with individuals who do not have Down syndrome. INCLUDE will develop a comprehensive genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic map to help understand the predisposing risk and protective factors that underlie the highly penetrant features in Down syndrome.

The INCLUDE Data Coordinating Center (INCLUDE DCC) supports two cloud-based platforms for Down syndrome research. The INCLUDE Data Hub allows users to query INCLUDE datasets, build synthetic cohorts of individual participants, and identify genomic files for analysis. CAVATICA, leveraging the Seven Bridges platform, allows users to analyze and visualize data using bioinformatics workflows in a cloud-based environment. Cloud-based platforms represent an alternative to users downloading datasets and carrying out analysis locally. The NIH Strategic Plan for Data Science emphasizes the powerful and cost-effective role cloud computing can play in the future of research by streamlining data use, allowing rapid access, and minimizing infrastructure and maintenance costs.

INCLUDE Cloud Credits Pilot Program

To support cloud-based research in Down syndrome, INCLUDE is allocating cloud credits for use on the INCLUDE DCC’s cloud platforms. These credits are available in scalable amounts, allowing users to explore datasets and the platform independently before writing an application to support larger analyses.

INCLUDE Cloud Credits are available for INCLUDE users, defined as researchers who meet one of the following criteria.

• Carrying out research on INCLUDE data, as listed on the INCLUDE DCC’s Studies & Access page
• Developing a tool with the intention to use it to analyze INCLUDE data
• Developing a tool which can be used to analyze INCLUDE data

$100 USD Pilot Credits- All INCLUDE Users

All INCLUDE users will receive $100 in pilot funds to introduce them to the capabilities of the CAVATICA platform. Users simply need to create an account on CAVATICA and then write to [email protected] stating their initial research is on INCLUDE.

1. Navigate to https://cavatica.sbgenomics.com/
2. Select “Create an Account.” You may choose to create your account using an existing NIH ERA Commons ID or any email address of your choosing.
3. Select Yes to the question: “Are you an INCLUDE User?” as you are finalizing your account, as shown in the screenshot below.
4. After your account is created, you can write to [email protected] stating your CAVATICA username and that your initial research will be on INCLUDE. In 1-2 business days, your Pilot Funds will be created, and you will be the owner of a billing group called “Pilot Funds (username)” specific to your username. This billing group is credited with $100 to help you get started.

$1,000 USD Limited Credits Billing Group

Users may apply for credits to support specific projects. These Limited Credits billing groups are capped at $1,000. Researchers can use these credits to build and test workflows on the platform, complete small analysis projects, or carry out benchmarking experiments in preparation for larger analysis projects.

To apply for a Limited Credits Billing Group, users should contact Huiqing Li (NIH/NHLBI) at [email protected]. Users should include a brief description of their intended use for the credits, less than one page typed.

Up to $20,000 USD Extended Credits Billing Group

Users who have received a Limited Credits billing group are eligible to apply for additional credits to complete a larger research project. These Extended Credits billing groups are capped at $20,000. A list of questions including preliminary results and benchmarking outcomes from the Limited Credits stage will be asked and reviewed during the application process.

To apply for an Extended Credits Billing Group, users should contact Huiqing Li (NIH/NHLBI) at [email protected] Users should include a detailed description of their intended use for the credits, a description of their activities accomplished under the Limited Credits billing group, and a calculated estimate of cost based on intended workflows and datasets.