On July 21, 2021, Microsoft Azure https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us, joined NIH’s Science and Technology Research Infrastructure for Discovery, Experimentation, and Sustainability (STRIDES) Initiative https://cloud.nih.gov, as the newest cloud service provider to support biomedical research.
The addition of Microsoft Azure as an industry partner will aim to accelerate biomedical research in the cloud by reducing economic and process barriers, provide cost-effective access to cloud platforms, training, cloud experts, and optimize research in the cloud. Microsoft Azure joins Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services to support the STRIDES Initiative.
According to Andrea T. Norris, Director of NIH’s Center for Information Technology and NIH Chief Information Officer, “Expanding our network of providers and access to the most advanced computational infrastructure, tools and services, will provide the flexibility that researchers need to accelerate research discoveries. Partnering with Microsoft Azure as a cloud service provider furthers our goal to enhance discovery and improve efficiency in biomedical research.”
In addition, NIH https://www.nih.gov has released an RFI seeking further information related to cloud computing. NIH’s, Office of Data Science Strategy (ODSS), National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS, and the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) seek input on current and future needs and how to further cloud computing for biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and social sciences.
Specifically, NIH is looking to address the challenges that can occur when adopting cloud computing among universities and colleges within IDeA-eligible states, Research Centers Minority Institutions (RCMI), and Minority Serving Institutions (MSI).
The Request for Information (RFI): NIH Programs to Increase Access to Cloud Computing to Diverse Biomedical Research Institutions (NOT-OD-21-158) was released by ODSS on July 8, 2021 with the response due September 30, 2021.
Go to https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-21-158.html for more information on the RFI. Direct inquiries to Fenglou Mao, PhD, Fenglou.mao@nih.gov.