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Biomedical Data Translator

We launched the Biomedical Data Translator program as a multiyear, iterative effort toward the eventual development of a comprehensive and relational “data translator” that combines multiple types of existing data sources.

Building a Data Translator

As a result of recent scientific advances, a tremendous amount of data is available from biomedical research and clinical interactions with patients, health records, clinical trials and adverse event reports that could be useful for understanding health and disease and for developing and identifying treatments for diseases. Ideally, these data would be mined collectively to provide insights into the relationship between molecular and cellular processes (the targets of rational drug design) and the signs and symptoms of diseases. Currently, these very rich yet different data sources are housed in various locations, often in forms that are not compatible or interoperable with each other. All of these factors limit the ability to get more treatments to all people more quickly. 

To address these problems, we launched the Biomedical Data Translator program, called “Translator” for short. This multiyear, iterative effort will culminate in the development of a comprehensive, relational, N-dimensional Biomedical Data Translator that integrates multiple types of existing data sources, including objective signs and symptoms of disease, drug effects and intervening types of biological data relevant to understanding pathophysiology.


Biomedical Data Translator News

Every Cure to Receive $48.3M From ARPA-H to Develop AI-Driven Platform to Revolutionize Future of Drug Development and Repurposing

February 28, 2024 - Grantee/Partner News

  • Biomedical Data Translator (Translator)

NASA Spaceline Current Awareness List #1,043 31 March 2023 (Space Life Science Research Results)

March 31, 2023 - Media Coverage

  • Biomedical Data Translator (Translator)

Data Science Tools Will Speed Rare Disease Solutions

March 15, 2023 - Grantee/Partner News

  • ASPIRE
  • Biomedical Data Translator (Translator)
  • Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center

Translator Process

Translator Draft Architecture. A researcher will be able to use NCATS Biomedical Data Translator to request specific biomedical information. For example: “predict treatments for disease Y.” The query will be sent to Translator’s Autonomous Relay Agents (ARAs) to determine how best to answer the query. The ARA will break the query into smaller tasks that are transmitted to rich, specialty knowledge bases called Knowledge Providers (KPs). This process will be iterative, such that the ARAs and KPs can build on information from the others. Researchers will be able to explore this distilled knowledge and help them to develop new research hypotheses that lead to new scientific discoveries!

Funding Opportunities

Learn more about how you can access funding and collaborate with NCATS through the Biomedical Data Translator program.


More About the Program

About Biomedical Data Translator

We provide more information about Translator and its objectives.

Translator Frequently Asked Questions

We have answers to frequently asked questions about the Biomedical Data Translator program. 

Translator Projects

We are developing Translator to integrate the vast amounts of currently available medical research data and accelerate the development of new treatments.

Last updated on November 10, 2023