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Finding the right dataset can sometimes be a challenge in data science. A new initiative will provide Penn State researchers with access to a trove of COVID-19 data, updated frequently by health care systems around the United States. Penn State faculty can learn how to get access to the database and what data is included at a Data Science Community talk at 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 15. Advance registration is required.

The National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C), funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, is an initiative that seeks to put data into the hands of scientists who are skilled at manipulating or deriving insight from data sets. Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute spearheaded the University’s participation in the N3C initiative. As part of the initiative, which includes institution-level data usage agreements, Penn State faculty can get free access to the platform without seeking Institutional Review Board approval.

“N3C is an innovative platform that seeks to remove barriers to accessing valuable COVID-19 data. It’s a very important tool that could help the research community better understand the nuances of this pandemic and explore the effectiveness of treatment options,” said Avnish Katoch, informatics project manager, Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute.

At the Data Science talk on April 15, Katoch will provide an overview of N3C, which, according to its website, will allow researchers the opportunity “to better understand the presentation and course of the disease in different populations, including potential health impact over time, to identify best practices for patient care, and to design and prioritize clinical studies and trials.” N3C includes lab test results, demographics, symptoms, procedures, medical conditions and other health-related data pertaining to individuals tested for COVID-19 or associated pathogens.

About Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute

Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute provides tools, services and training to make health research more efficient at Penn State. It advocates for translational science at the University and is a bridge between basic scientists and clinical researchers. The institute encourages collaboration to discover new treatments, medical procedures and ways to diagnose disease. Learn more at https://ctsi.psu.edu.

About the Data Science Community

The Data Science Community is a grassroots initiative supported by Penn State's Teaching and Learning with TechnologyInstitute for Computational and Data Sciences and University Libraries. To learn more about Data Science Community events or to join the community mailing list, visit https://datascience.psu.edu.