New IBRI Study ‘Essence of Big Data’
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Indiana Biosciences Research Institute in Indianapolis is bringing together several big industry names for a major study on how type 2 diabetes varies in different patients. Chief Executive Officer David Broecker says the "first-of-its-kind" partnership involves Eli Lilly and Co. (NYSE: LLY), Roche Diagnostics Corp., the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University School of Medicine. He says the collaboration will give researchers access to information on more than 800,000 people with type 2 diabetes throughout Indiana.
Broecker says part of IBRI’s mission is to facilitate partnerships among industry players that can provide resources and benefits. He says Roche is interested in new diabetes biomarkers and finding ways to treat the disease that are less invasive. Lilly hopes to come up with new therapies, including insulin and oral agents.
The Regenstrief Institute’s Indiana Network of Patient Care database will provide the data, which IBRI leaders say represents about 90 percent of type 2 diabetics in Indiana. Broecker says that will give researchers a representative sample that can be used to understand variations of the disease throughout the United States. One of the ultimate goals, he says, is to figure out why, when two people have a similar height, weight and demographic background, one might end up with diabetes and the other does not.
The development of type 2 diabetes is influenced by genetic factors such as family history and ethnicity, as well as behavioral factors, such as obesity, diet and exercise. The partnership aims to better understand each of the variations in type 2 diabetes patients and ultimately lead to the development of more specialized treatments and interventions.
The project is expected to be complete in the second quarter. Earlier this week, Governor Eric Holcomb presented a $32 billion budget to the State Budget Committee that includes $20 million in grants for the IBRI.