Access Data

Generally, browsing indexed GDC metadata (such as information about the cases and files contained in the GDC Data Portal) does not require a login.

eRA Commons authentication and dbGaP authorization are required before accessing controlled data, which generally includes individually identifiable information such as low level genomic sequencing data and germline variants.

Controlled-access data users log in to the GDC using their eRA Commons accounts. The GDC then verifies that the user has authorization in dbGaP to access specific controlled datasets.

GDC data is stored in a secure FISMA-compliant facility. Access to controlled data requires authorization via dbGaP. See Data Access Processes and Tools for more information.

The GDC provides several resources for querying and downloading data from the GDC including the GDC Data Portal for querying and downloading GDC data files, the GDC Data Transfer Tool for downloading large volumes of files, and the GDC Application Programming Interface (API) for performing programmatic queries and downloads.