Communications of the ACM
Open Source Dna
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Tel Aviv University professor Eran Halperin and researchers from the University of California, Berkeley have developed a mathematical formula that can be used to protect genetic privacy while providing researchers with the raw data they need to perform medical research. "We've developed a mathematical formula and a software solution that ensures that malicious eyes will have a very low chance to identify individuals in any study," Halperin says.
The formula can determine which SNPs, or small pieces of DNA that differ from individual to individual in the human population, can be made available to the public without revealing information about the participation of an individual in the study. Health care and medical institutions can use software running the formula to distribute research data while keeping individual identities private.
"We've been able to determine how much of the DNA information one can reveal without compromising a person's identity," Halperin says. "This means the substantial effort invested in collecting this data will not have been in vain."
From American Friends of Tel Aviv University
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