title: NGS-Logistics: federated analysis of NGS sequence variants across multiple locations.
abstract: As many personal genomes are being sequenced, collaborative analysis of those genomes has become essential. However, analysis of personal genomic data raises important privacy and confidentiality issues. We propose a methodology for federated analysis of sequence variants from personal genomes. Specific base-pair positions and/or regions are queried for samples to which the user has access but also for the whole population. The statistics results do not breach data confidentiality but allow further exploration of the data; researchers can negotiate access to relevant samples through pseudonymous identifiers. This approach minimizes the impact on data confidentiality while enabling powerful data analysis by gaining access to important rare samples. Our methodology is implemented in an open source tool called NGS-Logistics, freely available at https://ngsl.esat.kuleuven.be.
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven, Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT), STADIUS Center for Dynamical Systems, Signal Processing and Data Analytics, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, Box 2446, 3001 Leuven, Belgium ; iMinds Medical IT Department, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, Box 2446, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Amin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ardeshirdavani
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven, Center of Human Genetics Gasthuisberg, O&N I Herestraat 49, Box 602, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Souche
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven, Center of Human Genetics Gasthuisberg, O&N I Herestraat 49, Box 602, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dehaspe
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven, Center of Human Genetics Gasthuisberg, O&N I Herestraat 49, Box 602, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Houdt
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven, Center of Human Genetics Gasthuisberg, O&N I Herestraat 49, Box 602, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Joris Robert
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Vermeesch
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven, Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT), STADIUS Center for Dynamical Systems, Signal Processing and Data Analytics, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, Box 2446, 3001 Leuven, Belgium ; iMinds Medical IT Department, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10, Box 2446, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Moreau