Enhancing neuroimaging reusability through semantic enrichment

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ReproNim: A Center for Reproducible Neuroimaging Computation - Overall Summary: Over the last two decades a vast technological, computational and societal infrastructure has emerged transforming how information is collected and knowledge is gathered in all facets of science. Neuroimaging, as a discipline, is uniquely poised to exploit these new technologies and infrastructure to improve the way science is performed. Given the intrinsically large and complex data sets collected in neuroimaging research, coupled with the extensive array of shared data and tools amassed in the research community, we need to lower the barriers for efficient: use of data; description of data and process; sharing and subsequent reuse of the collective ‘big’ data. Aggregation of data and reuse of analytic methods have become critical in addressing concerns about the replicability and power of many of today’s neuroimaging studies. The magnitude of this reproducibility issue indicates that a paradigm shift in the way we generate and report knowledge in this field is in order. Our BTRC resource, ReproNim: A Center for Reproducible Neuroimaging Computation, seeks to continue to drive a shift in the way neuroimaging research is performed. Through the coordinated development of technology and training, (each of which supports a comprehensive set of tools and skills in data management, analysis and utilization of frameworks in support of both basic research and clinical activities), our overarching goal is to improve the reproducibility of neuroimaging science and extend the value of our national investment in neuroimaging research, while making the process easier and more efficient for investigators. Reproducibility is critical to scientific advancement because the current literature contains large numbers of erroneous conclusions (due to limited power, publication bias and occasionally mistakes). Given a neuroimaging study, it is exceedingly difficult to discern between false positive and true positive findings as data is hard to aggregate, and exact methods are hard to replicate or reuse. In order to advance the field in terms of analysis and publication in a way that embraces reproducibility, the overall Center will have the following aims: A) Deliver a reproducible analysis system comprised of components that include data and software discovery (TR&D 1), implementation of standardized workflow description and development of machine-readable markup and storage of the results of these workflows (TR&D 2) and development of execution options that facilitates operation in multiple computational environments and reduces barriers to scale and reliability (TR&D 3); B) Working with a community of Collaborative and Service users, we deploy, test and validate the reproducible analysis system with a wide variety of use cases ranging from software developers to applied scientists that support the archiving and reuse of raw data and the archival and reuse of derived results to promote reproducible clinical research (and its publication) in multiple different application areas; and C) Provide training and education to the community to foster continued use and development of the reproducible and generalizable framework in neuroimaging research.