Informatics Services

SMPH Informatics & Information Technology supports data-driven discovery across the School of Medicine and Public Health. The program provides secure infrastructure, institutional applications, data lifecycle tools, affiliated research programs, and compliance support for NIH data sharing requirements. 

Support Throughout the Research Lifecycle

Research Planning & Compliance

  • Access IRB support and submission guidance via ARROW 
  • Access SMPH-specific templates to prepare Data Management and Sharing Plans (DMSPs) – (NetID Login Required) 
  • Request a consultation for support on with study design, protocol development, and recruitment planning 
  • Complete required trainings: CITI UW Human Subjects Protections, Cybersecurity Awareness, HIPAA Privacy & Security 

Accessing Clinical and Research Data

  • Request clinical and registry data through approved workflow 
  • Utilize de-identification processes and the Honest Broker service 
  • Review Data Access Policies (NetID login required) for compliance 

Submit a Consult Request

Computing & Analysis Environments

These environments support secure, scalable, and compliant research across SMPH. From high-performance computing to data transfer and storage, these platforms are designed to meet the technical needs of data-intensive research.

Platform X

A HIPAA- and NIST-compliant cloud computing environment hosted in Microsoft Azure.

  • Isolated project environments with encrypted storage

  • Supports in-place analysis using R, Python, and more

  • Integrated with Globus, Azure Data Factory, and Bastion

  • Designed to enable multi-source data integration and national data sharing

Learn more and request access

Platform R

An on-premises high-performance computing (HPC) environment optimized for large-scale analytics.

  • Free to use for SMPH researchers

  • 2408 CPU cores, 25 TB memory, and 400 TB of scratch storage

  • Connected to campus storage systems, including ResearchDrive

  • Designed for future HIPAA compliance

Learn more and request access

SMPH Data Commons

A HIPAA-compliant, cloud-based environment hosted on Platform X that enables:

  • Access to curated EHR, genomic, and public health data in OMOP CDM format

  • Secure collaboration and analytics within the SMPH research community

  • Visualization tools like ATLAS and cBioPortal

 

Secure Data Storage Solutions

Choose a storage option based on your data classification level: 

Compare Storage Options (NetID login required) 

Classification  Tool  Cost  Purpose 
Restricted  Platform X  Varies  HIPAA-compliant compute & storage 
Restricted  Platform R Varies 
Restricted  ResearchDrive  25TB free, $120/TB/yr  Secure file storage, inputs/outputs 
Sensitive  S3 Object Storage  50TB free, $60/TB/yr  Scalable backup, application storage 
Internal  OneDrive  Free  General academic collaboration 

Need help choosing a storage method? Request a consult with the Informatics team

Data Sharing & Management Resources

Data Retention & Destruction

Research Software & Applications

 Application    Functionality 
 OnCore  Clinical trials management, protocol & subject tracking  
 REDCap  Data capture for research & QI 
 iLab  Core services scheduling & billing 
 DocuSign  FDA-compliant e-signatures for research docs 
 eBinders  Optional eRegulatory system 

Request Help or Consultation 

Explore Informatics KB
(NetID login required)
 

Submit a Consult Request