Roadmap for an Osteoarthritis Research Data Hub

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent musculoskeletal condition limiting mobility. It affects more than 2 million Australians, primarily women and those over 55. Every year it costs the healthcare system more than $4 billion. With an aging population, tackling OA is an urgent priority.

While clinical data repositories are common in brain imaging and neuroscience, OA remains overlooked in multi-centre databanks. More robust diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of OA rely on advanced medical imaging technology, analysis, and clinical evidence.

This project will develop a roadmap for establishing a national Osteoarthritis Research Data Hub to drive breakthroughs in early detection, evaluation and treatment of the disease. The Hub will address a significant gap in current research infrastructure, creating Australia's first accessible multi-centre OA databank linking patient records across the country – replicating the impact of similar resources like the US Government’s Osteoarthritis Initiative.

We will work with key users such as clinicians and imaging scientists to survey existing data infrastructure, data sharing practices, ethical concerns, legal obligations and future user needs. This will inform developing data stewardship, management and ethics frameworks.

The proposal will integrate medical records, advanced imaging modality data and other information from OA patients across Australia for harmonised collection, storage and sharing. Linking these datasets will improve data use and better align clinical care with OA research.

The Hub will allow clinicians, engineers, and data scientists to work together to drive innovation in diagnosis, treatment and early detection. It will support policy planning to improve health outcomes, empower researchers to advance solutions for disease detection and progression, and equip clinicians with evidence to optimise treatment strategies.

MDAP's expertise will be crucial for developing robust data harmonisation, stewardship, sharing and ethics protocols based on best practices. This will ensure the roadmap leverages existing solutions where possible and meets the needs of users and patients. MDAP will also assist in prototyping the solution and positioning for future funding opportunities.