Geskin Albert, Legowski Elizabeth, Chakka Anish, Chandran Uma R, Barmada M Michael, LaFramboise William A, Berg Jeremy, Jacobson Rebecca S
Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America; University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2015 Jun 26;10(6):e0131166. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131166. eCollection 2015.
Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) methods are driving profound changes in biomedical research, with a growing impact on patient care. Many academic medical centers are evaluating potential models to prepare for the rapid increase in NGS information needs. This study sought to investigate (1) how and where sequencing data is generated and analyzed, (2) research objectives and goals for NGS, (3) workforce capacity and unmet needs, (4) storage capacity and unmet needs, (5) available and anticipated funding resources, and (6) future challenges. As a precursor to informed decision making at our institution, we undertook a systematic needs assessment of investigators using survey methods. We recruited 331 investigators from over 60 departments and divisions at the University of Pittsburgh Schools of Health Sciences and had 140 respondents, or a 42% response rate. Results suggest that both sequencing and analysis bottlenecks currently exist. Significant educational needs were identified, including both investigator-focused needs, such as selection of NGS methods suitable for specific research objectives, and program-focused needs, such as support for training an analytic workforce. The absence of centralized infrastructure was identified as an important institutional gap. Key principles for organizations managing this change were formulated based on the survey responses. This needs assessment provides an in-depth case study which may be useful to other academic medical centers as they identify and plan for future needs.
新一代测序（NGS）方法正在推动生物医学研究发生深刻变革，对患者护理的影响也日益增大。许多学术医疗中心正在评估潜在模式，为满足NGS信息需求的快速增长做好准备。本研究旨在调查：（1）测序数据的生成和分析方式及地点；（2）NGS的研究目标；（3）人员能力及未满足的需求；（4）存储能力及未满足的需求；（5）可用和预期的资金资源；（6）未来挑战。作为我们机构做出明智决策的前奏，我们采用调查方法对研究人员进行了系统的需求评估。我们从匹兹堡大学健康科学学院60多个系和部门招募了331名研究人员，收到140份回复，回复率为42%。结果表明，目前测序和分析环节均存在瓶颈。确定了重大的教育需求，包括以研究人员为重点的需求，如选择适合特定研究目标的NGS方法，以及以项目为重点的需求，如支持培养分析人员队伍。缺乏集中式基础设施被确定为一个重要的机构差距。根据调查回复制定了管理这一变革的组织关键原则。这项需求评估提供了一个深入的案例研究，可能对其他学术医疗中心确定和规划未来需求有所帮助。
