The Interoperability Proving Ground has been archived and is no longer actively maintained. All information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes.

Interoperability Proving Ground (IPG) submissions within the ONC Tech Lab are submitted by healthcare, technology and development organizations that are invested in Health IT and Interoperability and want to share, learn and collaborate with similar stakeholders in the US, and around the world.

To view all submissions, please view the IPG link located within the ONC Techlab.

Sync for Genes

Description 
Genomic data sharing is critical to the Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI) and the next impetus of genetic research by a new wave of researchers. Sync for Genes will strengthen genomic data sharing, including data from next generation sequencing (NGS) laboratories, in a consistent and usable way via point-of-care applications. In January 2017, five pilot groups representing a variety of organizations covering specific facets of genomic data began leveraging and testing enhancements to the HL7 Clinical Genomics Workgroup Group suite of standards developed as part of the Sync for Genes effort.

The five pilot groups and focus are:

Counsyl with Intermountain Healthcare (Family Health History Genetics);
Food and Drug Administration (Sequencing Quality and Regulatory Genomics);
Foundation Medicine with Vanderbilt University Medical Center (Somatic/Tumor Testing);
Illumina (NGS Sequencing Solutions); and
National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match (Tissue Matching)

Feedback from the pilots will used by Sync for Genes to ensure the development of open source validation scripts and implementation guidance documents to support needs in the field of genomics for others to utilize. 

Ultimately, Sync for Genes will create a foundation for widespread use of genomic data to be shared in the All of Us Research Program and future studies.
Start Date 
01/24/2017
Projected End Date 
06/04/2017
Project Tags 
  • FDA
  • FHIR
  • genomics
  • HHS
  • interoperability
  • IPG
  • NGS
  • NIH
  • omics
  • ONC
  • ONC-led
  • PMI
  • Standards
  • Sync For Genes
  • Testing
  • Use Case
Project Point of Contact: tracy.okuboremove@removehhs.gov
Project Results 
The Sync for Genes project ended in June 2017. An ONC Buzz Blog post was published on November 28, 2017 (https://www.healthit.gov/buzz-blog/precision-medicine/genes-fhir-advances-standardizing-genomics-hl7-fhir/), which includes a link to the Final Report with findings, lessons learned, and recommendations (https://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/sync_for_genes_report_november_2017.pdf).