Answer ALS combines Clinical, Genomics, Epigenomics, Proteomics, and Transcriptomics data for a cohort of over 1000 ALS patients, producing the most extensive dataset in the history of ALS research. This project, aimed at defining molecular mechanisms of a devastating neurodegenerative disease, uses whole blood derived stem cells for all subject participants. Technome is part of the AnswerALS team, which also includes Cedars Sinai Medical Center, University of California, Johns Hopkins University, and MIT.

Answer ALS selected Technome as the Lead Architect in 2017 to manage their cloud infrastructure and provide technical guidance to the Answer ALS board, the program directors, and academic partners.

Technome engaged with key stakeholders to translate their vision into an infrastructure roadmap and a high-level plan for delivery. Executing on this plan, Technome engineers built the Answer ALS cloud framework and data management processes, drawing insight and support from an army of committed technical experts from Microsoft, Avanade, and other key Answer ALS partners.

Technome’s approach is to manage the complexities of infrastructure and data management, to apply practices and data standards from decades of similar successes, and to grow and adapt with the Answer community.

Answer ALS, with help from Technome, Microsoft and other partners, has built a stable, robust, scalable infrastructure and now hosts the largest collection of ALS research data in the world. Technome has worked with Answer ALS to organize their data curation processes, establishing a centralized Data Coordinating Center, which has regularly released consistent and easy to read datasets. Answer ALS has built acclaimed systems and organized datasets that have spurred new interest in the community and forged new partnerships.

In 2021, Technome was challenged by the chairman of the Answer board to engineer the architecture for a new Data Portal in a way that meets today’s budget but allows the Answer community to build upon it in the future. In partnership with OnPoint Scientific and Microsoft’s Accessibility Team, Technome drove the technical solution to build one of the cleanest, most usable Data Portals in Health Sciences research.