In Greek mythology, Soteria was the goddess of security and salvation, protector of damage. At the University of Arizona, Health Sciences, Soteria takes a new form: an enclave of advanced data designed to protect sensitive information while allowing researchers to unlock the hidden secrets inside.
Rudy Salcido, who retired as a lieutenant-colonel after 28 years in the Marine Corps, was hired at Data Science Institute in 2022 to supervise the development and launch of Soteria.
Photo by Kris Hanning, u of a health sciences office of communications
The platform was officially launched in 2024 and is offered free of charge to researchers in health sciences. It provides a collaborative space where researchers can securely access and analyze the large data sets, accelerating the pace of discovery and innovation.
“Soteria changes the game for our research community,” said Rudy Salcidosupervised Soteria as a program manager at U of Data Science Institute. “It provides a secure and controlled environment where researchers can collaborate, analyze data and generate knowledge in a way that was not possible before.”
Like its homonym, Soteria offers a sanctuary for sensitive information. He adheres to strict safety protocols, guaranteeing compliance with the law on health insurance and liability, or HIPAA, and other regulations that govern the privacy of patients. Researchers can explore complex data sets that include PHI and PII – protected health information and personally identifiable information – in a secure environment that minimizes the risk of data violations.
“Think of Soteria like a community garden with a strong wall around him, offering security to everyone inside,” said Nirav Merchant, msDirector of Data Science Institute in the U of a research, innovation and impact office. The merchant has led the creation of Soteria as a strategic initiative of the AU of health sciences. “It allows experts who have developed unique methods, tools and analysis products to derive knowledge of large data sets, and no, you have to worry about all the private data that escapes. »»
From data security to research support
Soteria was designed from zero to prioritize the security and confidentiality of sensitive data. Soteria’s strength also lies in its integration of various and powerful research tools, some of which are unique at the U of A.
Nirav Merchant, director of the UA of A Data Science Institute, directed the U -HEALTH Sciences initiative which developed SOTERIA.
Photo of Noelle Haro-Gomez, U of A Health Sciences Office of Communications
Researchers often need to analyze sensitive data sets containing PHI and PII, and working between disciplines to analyze it safely can be difficult. A critical challenge in research involving Phi and Pii is the secure transfer of large data sets. Soteria provides a robust solution with its external data transfer toolwhich allows U of researchers to exchange data and projects in complete safety and projects with external users. Anyone who needs to access the data must connect and authenticate with its institutional identification information before launching a data transfer.
This emphasis on safety allows researchers to overcome traditional obstacles to access to sensitive data.
“Before Soteria, the researchers had to use an external encrypted reader containing the data they had collected. Then, they had a very limited method to collaborate with others – using a encrypted laptop in a secure location or having to send the data set by mail – which makes it impossible for the transparent updates of the Data set occurs without delay, ”said Salcido. “With Soteria, the data can be transferred to the secure enclave, and collaboration occurs with laboratory partners accessing Soteria via a secure VPN. No need to transport an external hard drive, a thumb player or a laptop and have to store these items in a secure location or send a updated data set. »»
Soteria is more than just secure data repository; It is a dynamic ecosystem designed to advance research and innovation of health sciences. Salcido said Soteria can support researchers at each stage of their work with a full suite of tools for data discovery, data analysis, data visualization and more.
The platform offers integrated collaboration tools that promote a culture of open science, where researchers can work together to accelerate the pace of discovery.
“Collaboration is essential for scientific progress,” said Salcido. “Soteria provides a platform where researchers can connect with each other, share ideas and work together to solve complex problems.”
Expansion infrastructure
For researchers, Soteria is more than a simple technological platform; It is a testimony of the collaborative spirit and commitment to innovation that defines the AU of health sciences. As such, Soteria works perfectly with existing technology U technology offers.
- High performance IT: for research involving large -scale data processing, Soteria gives access to High performance IT resources managed by the University Information Technology Services Team of research technologies. Soteria HPC includes the OpenDeMand web interface, offering friendly access to popular applications and tools.
- Sharing data on the web: Soteria gives researchers the possibility of managing and sharing research results within a team while retaining strict access control through Posit Connect HealthA tool managed by Data Science Institute. POSIT Connect Health allows researchers to manage and share safely a wide range of data products, including reports, dashboards and visualizations created in R and Python.
- Web Workbench: for researchers engaged in a complex data analysis, Soteria offers Cyverse healthwhich offers a fine grain access control which allows researchers to manage precisely which can access data sets or specific analysis methods. Cyverse Health supports reproducible workflows using containerization technology and integrates into robust data management platforms, including IROD. It also gives access to precious community data catalogs, including sets of organizational data such as Arizona Health Care Cost Confidence System, and supports private spaces for organizations such as Banner Health to share in complete safety data for specific research projects.
Soteria, developed, financed and supported by the AU of health sciences, expands access to research tools managed by key partners, in particular data science, the Biomedical and biostatistic IT centerand university information technology services. This collaborative approach guarantees that Soteria remains at the forefront of data science and technology, offering researchers the best possible tools and resources.
“Soteria is more than a simple data platform; It is an investment in the future of research on health sciences, ”said Salcido. “It is a tool that can help us make new discoveries and improve people’s lives in Arizona and beyond.”