Requesting Data Submission

The GDC currently reviews potential submissions, taking into account a study's size, quality, and likely impact on the field of cancer genomics. Basic requirements closely follow the NCI Genomic Data Sharing (GDS) Policy.

In general, the GDC accepts data from human research subjects only, that meet the following guidelines.

Studies should possess one or more of these features that are of high interest to GDC:

  • Studies designed and powered to provide a definitive answer to an important question in cancer genomic biology
  • Studies that fill in gaps in our knowledge of rare cancers or special pathologic or therapeutic circumstances
  • Genomic studies that are incorporated into clinical trials, that are well-annotated and possess outcome data
  • Genomic study data that underlie well-known published results of high impact.

If interested in requesting data submission in the GDC, please contact the GDC Help Desk: supportatnci-gdc.datacommons.io

The GDC also considers the size of the study when considering submission requests, and employs the following:

GDC Study Size Guidelines

Type of Data Data Examples Minimum # of Human Specimens (including human cell lines*)
DNA sequence data from <100 genes or regions of interest Targeted Sequencing 100
DNA sequence data from ≥ 100 genes or regions of interest Targeted Sequencing, Whole Exome Sequencing, Whole Genome Sequencing 100
Genome-wide RNA sequencing data Transcriptomic Data 100
* Includes distinct individuals, samples, treatments, time points, tissues, etc. (e.g., data from 25 patients at 4 time points after treatment would reach a 100 sample threshold; data from 50 tumors-normal comparisons would reach a 100 sample threshold)

In future developments, the GDC will support other data types such as methylation, genome-wide association study (GWAS), and others.

Tools Checkmark

Data submitted into the GDC must be compatible with GDC Submitted Data Types and File Formats.

GDC Data Submission Requests

If you feel that your study meets the above data submission conditions and/or possesses features of high interest and is compatible with GDC submitted data types and file formats:

  • Send a request to supportatnci-gdc.datacommons.io
  • The GDC team will request specific information about your submission project.