Headquarters 2.0: An Integrated Neuroinformatics Ecosystem for Privacy-Aware Collaborative Research

Poster No:

1840 

Submission Type:

Abstract Submission 

Authors:

Henry Bockholt1, Brad Baker2, Sergey Plis3, Vince Calhoun4

Institutions:

1Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 2TReNDS Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 3Georgia State University, Atlanta, TX, 4GSU/GATech/Emory, Atlanta, GA

First Author:

Henry Bockholt  
Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA

Co-Author(s):

Brad Baker  
TReNDS Center, Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA
Sergey Plis  
Georgia State University
Atlanta, TX
Vince Calhoun  
GSU/GATech/Emory
Atlanta, GA

Introduction:

Global neuroinformatics research requires scalable, interoperable platforms that integrate advanced analytics, secure data sharing, and real-time collaboration. Headquarters 2.0 unifies tools such as COINS, COINSTAC, BrainForge V2, COINSTAC Vaults, BrainChop, GIFT, and FIT into a comprehensive ecosystem. Designed to support hybrid cloud/on-premise data organization, the system connects multiple research ecosystems across diverse projects while adhering to rigorous privacy standards.

Background
As neuroimaging research expands, challenges such as multi-jurisdictional data governance, dataset heterogeneity, and collaboration across distributed environments intensify. Headquarters 2.0 addresses these challenges through FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable), the BIDS framework, seamless CLI/API integrations, and browser-specific privacy tools for secure remote collaboration.

Methods:

Headquarters 2.0 integrates key components to overcome the challenges of multi-site neuroimaging studies:

BrainForge V2: A containerized workflow engine supporting BIDS-in, BIDS-out pipelines for preprocessing, advanced machine learning, and group-level analyses. JSON-based specifications ensure consistent and reproducible workflows.

COINSTAC: Enables privacy-preserving federated machine learning for secure multi-site collaboration.

COINSTAC Vaults: Distributed storage solutions provide secure data sharing and real-time API integration while ensuring compliance with GDPR,
HIPAA, and similar regulations.

BrainChop: A browser-based tool that uses AI for privacy-aware segmentation and quantitative neuroimaging analysis, offering local processing to preserve participant confidentiality.

Papaya-Based Visualization Tools: Facilitate interactive data exploration for anomaly detection and group-level analyses.

CLI/API Ecosystem: Connects the ecosystem components, supporting hybrid cloud and on-premise deployments for flexible operation.

GIFT and FIT: Provide ICA-based and functional connectivity analyses, enabling advanced group dynamics research.

Results:

Headquarters 2.0 has achieved key milestones in multi-site neuroimaging research:

Enhanced Data Management: COINS centralizes study management, harmonizing metadata and simplifying organization.

Improved Reproducibility: JSON-driven workflows standardize processes, with automated QC ensuring consistent outputs.

Privacy-Preserving Collaboration: BrainChop and COINSTAC enable secure analysis without data centralization, preserving participant confidentiality.

Scalable Analysis: Hybrid deployments support batch processing, real-time data updates, and federated workflows.

Advanced Visualization: Papaya and browser-based tools enhance interactive exploration of multi-modal data.

Community Integration: Compatibility with platforms like ReproNim, DataLad, and Neurobagel fosters interoperability and collaborative research.

Successfully piloted in CADASIL and Huntington's disease studies, Headquarters 2.0 streamlines multi-site collaboration and enhances analytical rigor.

Conclusions:

Headquarters 2.0 offers a transformative ecosystem for neuroimaging and multi-modal research, combining advanced tools with robust privacy-preserving capabilities. Its scalable, interoperable design addresses standardization, reproducibility, and collaboration challenges, enabling secure and efficient multi-site studies.

Future Directions
Development plans include:

Expanding BrainChop's AI-driven segmentation capabilities and web-based functionality.

Integrating Globus for secure data transfers and handling multi-modal datasets.

Enhancing user interfaces for streamlined interactions across the neuroimaging community.

Automating non-BIDS data mapping for greater standardization.

Extending federated learning and browser-based analysis tools for real-time global collaboration.

Modeling and Analysis Methods:

Classification and Predictive Modeling
Multivariate Approaches

Neuroinformatics and Data Sharing:

Databasing and Data Sharing 2
Workflows
Informatics Other 1

Keywords:

Computing
Data analysis
Data Organization
Informatics
Machine Learning
Open Data
Open-Source Code
Open-Source Software
Workflows

1|2Indicates the priority used for review

Abstract Information

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Provide references using APA citation style.

Scott, A., Courtney, W., Wood, D., de la Garza, R., Lane, S., King, M., Wang, R., Roberts, J., Turner, J. A., & Calhoun, V. D. (2011). COINS: An innovative informatics and neuroimaging tool suite built for large heterogeneous datasets. *Frontiers in Neuroinformatics*, 5, 33.

Landis, D., Courtney, W., Dieringer, C., Kelly, R., King, M., Miller, B., Wang, R., Wood, D., Turner, J. A., & Calhoun, V. D. (2016). COINS Data Exchange: An open platform for compiling, curating, and disseminating neuroimaging data. *Frontiers in Neuroinformatics*, 10, 34.

Martin, D., Basodi, S., Panta, S., Rootes-Murdy, K., Prae, P., Sarwate, A. D., Kelly, R., Romero, J., Baker, B. T., Gazula, H., Turner, J. A., Plis, S. M., & Calhoun, V. D. (2023). Enhancing collaborative neuroimaging research: introducing COINSTAC Vaults for federated analysis and reproducibility. *Frontiers in Neuroinformatics*, 17, 1207721.

Gazula, H., Verner, E., Panta, S., Sarwate, A. D., Turner, J. A., Plis, S. M., & Calhoun, V. D. (2020). COINSTAC: Collaborative Informatics and Neuroimaging Suite Toolkit for Anonymous Computation. *Journal of Open Source Software*, 5(52), 2166.

Verner, E., Panta, S., Basodi, S., Baker, B. T., Franco, A. R., Bockholt, H. J., Romero, J., Turner, J. A., Calhoun, V. D., & Plis, S. M. (2023). BrainForge: An online data analysis platform for integrative neuroimaging research. *Neuroinformatics*.

Martin, D., Basodi, S., Panta, S., Rootes-Murdy, K., Prae, P., Sarwate, A. D., Kelly, R., Romero, J., Baker, B. T., Gazula, H., Turner, J. A., Plis, S. M., & Calhoun, V. D. (2023). Enhancing collaborative neuroimaging research: introducing COINSTAC Vaults for federated analysis and reproducibility. *Frontiers in Neuroinformatics*, 17, 1207721.

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