WP 6
IT Conception & Infrastructure

Prof. Dr. Dieter Kranzlmüller

Vorsitzender des Direktoriums des LRZ

Work package 6: IT Conception and Infrastructure

WP6 forms the digital backbone of DigiMed Bayern: a secure, data protection-compliant IT infrastructure for the integration, analysis, and management of large volumes of medical data. It connects all work packages and enables the use of AI, machine learning, and knowledge management systems.

Key Topics:

  • Central Platform:
    Establishment of a scalable infrastructure for data integration, analysis tools, and high-performance computing (HPC).
  • Data Protection & Security:
    Implementation of a TMF-compliant data protection concept, including pseudonymization and secure data exchange.
  • Agile Approach:
    Development and testing of a pilot infrastructure, continuous optimization, and training of partners.
  • Expert System & Collaboration:
    Implementation of an interactive platform for omics data, clinical information, and AI-supported analyses—transparent, efficient, and sustainable.

Added Value:
WP6 creates the digital foundation for P4 medicine and enables connected, secure, and future-proof data analysis for research and clinical application.

Results Work Package 6

Development of the DigiMed Bayern Secure Cloud: IT Infrastructure for Health Research

Overview

Work Package 6 focuses on developing a secure, scalable, and collaborative cloud IT infrastructure for the processing and storage of sensitive health data (“big data”) in the research sector.

Key Results

  • Design and Implementation:
    • Development and deployment of a highly secure cloud platform at the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre (LRZ) for the storage and analysis of large medical datasets.
    • Procurement and installation of high-performance hardware: Quobyte file system (1 PB), control and compute nodes with a total of 1 TB RAM and 100G Ethernet.
    • Establishment of a testbed system with GPU support for innovative applications, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence.
  • Data protection and information security:
    • Development of a comprehensive security strategy and technical and organizational measures (TOMs).
    • Close coordination with the Bavarian State Commissioner for Data Protection (BayLfD) and external information security audits.
    • Development of user guidelines and automatic screening of software versions in use (Dependency Track).
  • User-friendliness and support:
    • Release of the cloud for DigiMed users (announcement at the DigiMed Symposium in December 2023).
    • Detailed user documentation and regular training for all user groups.
    • Support for Work Packages 1 through 5 in uploading and utilizing the infrastructure.
  • Software solutions and data management:
    • Development of Extract-Transform-Load (ETL) pipelines for processing routine clinical data (e.g., from the TUM University Hospital German Heart Center).
    • Integration of the Clinical Data Warehouse with the DigiMed Secure Cloud.
    • Implementation of the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) for all DigiMed data.
  • Scientific and strategic significance:
    • The DigiMed Secure Cloud forms the foundation for the secure and high-performance processing of research data and serves as a flagship project for modern IT infrastructures in healthcare.
    • Successful application for the establishment of a genome computing center as part of the Genome Sequencing Model Project (§64e SGB V).
    • Initiation of the Bavarian Health Cloud (BHC) as a sustainable further development.

Sustainability and Outlook

  • The DigiMed Secure Cloud will continue to be developed and expanded through at least 2027, including the integration of GPUs for AI applications and further enhancements to the security framework.
  • The goal is to ensure long-term, non-discriminatory access to data and to transition to stable services beyond the project’s duration.
Conclusion for Work Package 6

Work Package 6 has created the DigiMed Bayern Secure Cloud, a state-of-the-art, secure, and scalable IT platform for medical research. The infrastructure meets the highest data protection and security standards and enables innovative, data-driven research in the healthcare sector – a milestone for Bavaria and beyond.