Roadmap: Short Term (2022)

Functionality planned for roll out until the end of 2022

• Harmonized and extended documentation
• Extensive documentation of the DRC resources
• Online list of publications referencing SPARC and using SPARC data and tools.
• Documentation to support Core Trust Seal
• Clear messaging on the home page regarding functions and features available to SPARC users with links to tutorials.
• Community building
• Early career scientist outreach (also in the context of sustainability)
• Enrichment of the Tools and Resources page
• Search and supporting infrastructure
• Find datasets based on metadata (given values for properties of: Samples, Subjects, Researchers, Protocols, Awards, and Dataset metadata, find all matching datasets)
• Complex queries across data objects are supported (e.g., All samples collected using a particular protocol, or all images related to subjects from a particular strain across all of the SPARC efforts)
• Facilitation of collaborative work
• Ability for the platform to identify users (will be leveraged later to facilitate messaging and other functionality)
• Functionalities and standards for publishing and sharing data aggregations and explorable data analyses
• Requesting access to embargoed SPARC datasets through the Portal
• Mechanism to request access to these datasets from the SPARC Portal
• Launch data-specific functionality directly from the Portal
• Ability to launch a specified workflow/viewer on o²S²PARC
• Ability to launch other external applications (e.g. SDS Viewer)
• SPARC Portal User Login
• Development of user profile page
• Ability for logged in users to track provenance of datasets
• SPARC data submission
• Workflow for non-SPARC investigators to submit data to the Portal
• Increased automation of data and model submission
• Tracking of provenance and change history for data and models
• Robust concept will be defined for frequently evolving items such as computational model code and derived data
• Maps and scaffolds:
• Understanding connectivity by:
• Displaying the downstream and upstream targets of all sensory, sympathetic and parasympathetic neurons
• Enabling synchronized flatmap & whole-body scaffold exploration
• Understanding physiological function by:
• Developing new deformation visualization tools to allow the neuromodulation community to access the position of embedded neurons throughout the movement of an organ
• Developing a standardized approach to curating, annotating and visualizing time series data
• Linking to modeling and simulation
• Improving exploration of segmentation and image data.
• Linking to external repositories:
• Enabling publication of computational models relevant to SPARC neuromodulation goals directly from the Physiome Model Repository.
• Providing cloud-based access to Neurolucida 360 to drive reuse and repurposing of SPARC data. This allows visitors to retrieve SPARC microscopy image data for visualization, reconstruction, and/or analysis in the cloud.
• Functionalities and standards for AI applications throughout SPARC

Continuously ongoing activities will include User support (e.g., via SPARC Portal Feedback form and Open Office Hours) Community building Success stories, PI video interviews Webinars, office hours, fireside chats, SPARC Art contest Outreach at conferences (e.g., SfN, IEEE NER, and ISAN) Social media outreach Promoting relevant events and news on the SPARC Portal Search and supporting infrastructure Meta-data annotation will be extended to the individual file level Meta-data will also include content describing data files, e.g., “voltage trace from a patch-clamp experiment” Bridge the gap between experimental data collection and computational modeling New functionality will be added on o²S²PARC, such as machine learning capabilities and closed-loop control

Roadmap: Longer Term (beyond 2022) Support for SPARC Phase 2 SPARC VOX components SPARC-V: Map the human vagus nerve continue development of the Portal and associated tools to host and work with these data products SPARC-O: Open-source modular neuromodulation platform support the design, safety and performance assessment and optimization, development of control strategies... SPARC-X: Prize challenges for demonstration of next-generation capabilities Compatibility with other research initiatives Harmonization with research produced by other initiatives will be achieved with an increasing number of repositories and standards Search and supporting infrastructure In the SPARC Portal, users will be able to combine searches based on maps (i.e., abstract or concrete representations of functional and anatomical relations) and graphs/ontologies (i.e., annotations that translate to unambiguous, standardized terminologies or represent relationships) Given a particular entry on the Portal (e.g., dataset, image, etc.), users will have the ability to search the broader community by linking out to SciCrunch, PubMed, or other indexing services Facilitation of collaborative work Messaging and forum functionality will be provided for users to discuss different Portal entries (e.g., datasets, files, models, etc.) Specialist users will be able to review datasets Bridging the gap between experimental data collection and computational modeling Ensuring reproducibility and FAIRness for data processing (e.g., shareable and explorable analyses, standardized machine learning) Providing expert workflows in app-form for specialized applications (e.g., implant safety assessment) Teaching Adapt the Portal to support visualizations and interactions that are valuable for teaching Support the creation of online teaching classes

Explore and Discover Autonomic Neurosciences and Bioelectronic Medicine Resources Vision: The SPARC Portal permits visitors to explore and discover autonomic neurosciences and bioelectronic medicine resources. Examples: Where suitable, the SPARC Portal makes use of dedicated viewers to inspect data without downloading it (e.g., image viewers for microscopy images). Its robust search functionality and linking facilitate the discovery of related datasets and research. The anatomical maps offer powerful exploration and discovery of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). Finally, a focus on usability, visitor guidance, and documentation ensure that visitors can easily navigate and understand the site content. Information and Insight about/into the ANS and its Physiological Role Vision: The SPARC Portal provides a user-friendly mechanism to explore how the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is structured, how organs are innervated, and how neuronal signaling propagates within the ANS and organs. This is achieved through consolidated and highly curated maps and computational models. The maps serve to visualize anatomical and functional relationships within the ANS. They can be used to discover Portal content and to combine content for further analysis (e.g., measurement data as input of a computational model/analysis, computational models that can be coupled, data that serves to validate/constrain a model). Example: A user can select a specific branch of a particular nerve in the ANS. The SPARC Portal should provide information about the organs that are innervated by this specific nerve branch and how these organs might respond when the branch is stimulated. Where available, relevant simulation models that could predict this behavior are displayed. Finding of Related/associated Data, Computational Models, Analysis Functionality, and Anatomical Models Vision: The SPARC Portal provides access to a large amount of experimental data (ephys, RNA-seq, histology, and much more), computational models, data processing functionality, viewers, and research tools and resources. Through curation and mapping, users can find related/associated data, computational models, analysis functionality, and anatomical models. Functional maps can be used to identify models and data that can be coupled, or to provide information about limitations of computational models, by highlighting which functional dependencies are not considered. The SPARC Portal is supported by the SPARC Knowledge Graph ensuring rich and meaningful linkages across SPARC products and broader knowledge about the autonomic nervous system. Example: When a user has selected a histological nerve cross-section image, the user should be offered opportunities to view it with a dedicated microscopy viewer, segment it using a machine-learning tool for nerve-cross section segmentation on the o²S²PARC simulation platform, or convert it into a computational model suitable for neural interface simulations. When a user augments datasets (e.g, by pulling together and establishing relationships between multiple datasets), the resulting views of the data can be stored on the Portal. Performing In Silico Studies and Computational Data Analyses Vision: The SPARC Portal hosts published computational models and studies, as well as explorable data analyses (e.g., as supplement to scientific publications). The data analyses can operate on aggregated data from different sources, and aggregations can be shared. Tools associated with the Portal, such as o²S²PARC, can be used to perform in silico studies, e.g., to evaluate and optimize neurostimulation implant safety and efficacy, predict their downstream therapeutic effects on organ physiology, investigate potential side-effects, or to develop (closed-loop) control strategies. More information on the In Silico Studies Roadmap can be found here. Selected simulations can even be launched directly from the Portal, and specialized workflows are available as easy-to-use Apps. Example: An App is offered that permits users to perform standardized implant safety assessments (e.g., with respect to tissue exposure to currents, tissue damage models, induced heating) in support of electroceuticals development (e.g., for bladder control), and computational modeling can be used to optimize and control stimulation parameters. Facilitate Collaboration Vision: A key strength of the online SPARC DRC infrastructure lies in facilitating collaborative work between researchers (SPARC-funded and other). The SPARC Portal currently supports this by sharing information (e.g., events, news, access to public datasets, and listing of projects and key stakeholders) and plans to expand this with future functionalities such as: discussion forums, ability to request access to embargoed SPARC datasets, enabling joint elaboration of computational models, helping to bridge the gap between experimental data collection and computational modeling, and extended standardization and curation. Example: Through the SPARC Portal, users log in and initiate discussions about available resources within the SPARC ecosystem. They can rank datasets and simulation models, and reach out to the dataset owners to initiate a collaborative effort. Users might be able to submit announcements of events which will be listed and distributed to users who signed up to be continually informed. FAIRness and TRUSTworthiness in Data/Model Publication (Metadata annotation & querying) Vision: The FAIR principles stand for Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. SPARC is committed to ensuring FAIRness and trustworthiness, and the SPARC DRC maintains standards and harmonizes these with related standardization efforts. Furthermore, SPARC DRC provides an infrastructure that facilitates and encourages adherence to FAIRness and Trustworthiness. Currently, the SPARC Portal largely ensures FAIRness, mainly through the curation process, the publication process, mapping, and the design of the simulation framework. SPARC is applying for the Core Trust Seal as a sign of our commitment to being good stewards of the community’s data. Examples: Some planned features to expand the FAIRness of SPARC data and resources include: tracking the provenance and change history of (derived) data and models support for quality assurance and trustworthiness in o²S²PARC (credibility assessment, verification & validation, functionality to promote the Ten Simple Rules) an expanded integration knowledge management system powering search functionality. providing a “peer-review” process for data publication and enforcing FAIR data-standards (authors, license, doi, tags, changelog, etc.) as part of the publication processes. SPARC Communication and Community Building Vision: The SPARC Portal serves as a gateway for SPARC internal and external communication, as well as community building. Examples: The SPARC Portal is a centralized resource to disseminate information about the SPARC Program (documentation, success stories), SPARC-relevant events (meetings, webinars, hackathons), and SPARC-related news facilitate communication related to its content (e.g., forums, discussion boards, messaging). provide links to related initiatives and resources beyond SPARC The SPARC DRC supports compatibility with selected initiatives and resources. Larger Vision The above goals address SPARC-related activities. However, SPARC DRC members are passionate about supporting research endeavors beyond SPARC, particularly in ensuring data quality and research collaboration. Thus, the SPARC DRC also aims to: Ensure FAIRness (e.g., through standards and curation, as well as quality assurance measures) and particularly also reproducible and extendable computational modeling and analysis. Provide an integrated picture that exposes relationships between different physiological functions, neural maps, measurement data, and computational models. Enable large-scale collaborative research. Facilitate running analyses on the available data and models and to share analyses and the resulting derived data. Permit sharing of established computational and experimental workflows created by experts.