About
The ELITE Portal is a public data repository that stores and shares data and research knowledge generated by multiple collaborative research programs focused on exceptional longevity translational research in human cohorts and non-human species.
This open access data repository is focused on the distribution of data and other resources related to the study of exceptional longevity. The data is generated by multiple research projects funded by the National Institute of Aging (NIA). These programs embrace open science principles and require data to be released in a rapid manner, according to the NIH Genomic Data Sharing Policy and NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy.
The ELITE Portal is designed to support transparent evaluation and broad use of resources generated within the NIA's translational research portfolio. All data, methods, and results generated are distributed under FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable; Wilkinson et al., 2016) principles according to the NIH Genomic Data Sharing Policy.
Background
Exceptional longevity (EL) represents an extreme phenotype and the ability to achieve exceptional health span is likely to be influenced by differing domain-specific factors that affect preservation of performance in individual physiologic systems (e.g., respiratory, cardiovascular, immune) or functional domains (e.g., mobility, cognition). Understanding the functional effects of protective human genetic variants and cellular factors associated with exceptional survival could lead to the identification of novel targets for interventions to mimic their favorable effects.
NIA-supported projects focusing on exceptionally long-lived individuals have been investigating genetic and molecular factors that are associated with reduced morbidity, reduced mortality, and survival to older ages by generating big data on genetics, multi-omics and phenotypic data. These studies are also integrating data from species with widely varying life spans that could assist in the discovery of molecular factors and tissue-specific molecular pathways influencing human life and health span. Placing the findings from model organisms into the context of human cohorts could lead to novel insights into conserved biological pathways that may extend health and life span across species.
The group of NIA-supported EL projects include: The Long-Life Family Study (LLFS), the Longevity Consortium (LC), the Longevity Genomics (LG) and the Integrative Longevity Omics (ILO) projects. To date, these projects have generated a combination of complex multi-dimensional biological data and other research resources (e.g., data, biospecimens from long-lived individuals and from cross-species comparisons, analytical tools, drug screening data bases/tools, cutting edge algorithms). Moreover, this group of projects will be generating large volumes of omics data (e.g., transcriptomics, methylomics, proteomics, metabolomics) in the forthcoming years.
Hosting of these EL research resources in parallel with Alzheimer’s Disease resources on the AD Knowledge Portal will create increased opportunities for data mining/integrative analyses across different data types to not only identify omics profiles associated with EL, but also factors contributing to possible protection against age-related dementias/AD.
The ELITE Portal was established in 2023 as part of the Data Management and Coordinating Center (DMCC) and a Collaborative research Space for Translational Research on Exceptional Longevity funding opportunity initiated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This opportunity supported the expansion and distribution of data and resources generated by the longevity translational projects and helped to further the goals of increasing collaborative research activities and engagement with the broader longevity research community.
ELITE Portal ↔︎ Synapse
At this point, you know what the ELITE Portal is, and you may have come across the term Synapse - but how do they fit together? Let’s break this down:
Sage Bionetworks | First, there’s Sage Bionetworks - a name you may or may not have come across. While Sage is not a tool you’ll be using, you should know who we are: a non-profit organization based out of Seattle, Washington. Sage is dedicated to promoting and advancing open science, as well as engaging patients in the research process. Sage acts as the Data Management and Coordinating Center (DMCC) for several different portals, including the ELITE Portal (the EL DMCC - read more about that below). The scientists, developers, and designers that built the tools you’re using are all employed by Sage. You can learn more about Sage Bionetworks and its initiatives here. |
Synapse | In line with advocating for open science, Sage developed a software platform called Synapse. This platform is what allows for collaborative data curation and analysis, computational modelling, and more. It allows users to upload, store, analyze, and track data in a private space, before releasing it to the public-facing ELITE Portal. Think of Synapse as the back-end for all the data to live in. |
ELITE Portal | If Synapse is the back-end for data, the ELITE Portal is the front. It’s essentially the user interface (UI) or entry point for you to view data and other shared content. Data gets uploaded into Synapse and made accessible for you in the portal. |
Additional Tools
Analysis Platforms
Exceptional Longevity consortium members have access to CAVATICA, an analysis and sharing platform that proviedes cloud compute and analytical tooling (including genome browsers and data visualization tools) for processing, integration, and analysis of ELITE Portal data. Read more about it here.
The EL DMCC
Data sharing through the ELITE Portal is supported by Sage through a Data Management and Coordination Center (DMCC). The Exceptional Longevity DMCC (EL DMCC) is responsible for:
Monitoring user-contributed data to ensure it complies with the terms and conditions for funding
Supporting data contributors as needed when it comes to uploading and disseminating data
Supporting collaboration among data contribution teams
Distributing data to the general research community
Providing general support to the following tools:
Synapse
ELITE Portal
Want to learn about the people involved In the EL DMCC? Explore the team here.