ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the challenges encountered when conceptualising genomics and related technologies as a model for data-driven research. It discusses how genomic data fit the category of 'Big Data', taking into account the problematic nature of this label and the increasing awareness among biomedical researchers of the limits of an approach to health solely or even primarily focused on genomics. The future of genomic data is tied to their effective integration with other data sources, and their circulation beyond genomic medicine and into all realms of biomedical R&D. Data infrastructures are required that can effectively collect, visualise and make searchable datasets of completely different origin, and can also continue to maintain, update and expand those resources over time. The chapter points out to the search for mechanisms to integrate different types of genomic data, as well as genomic data with other relevant data sources, as a key open challenge for attempts to develop and implement precision medicine.
