2026 biocrossroads life sciences summit
Provena Consortium: Connecting Health Data with Research Opportunities
An AnalytiXIN Workshop in partnership with BioCrossroads
Connecting genomic information with a patient’s clinical history can help researchers investigate disease, identify potential treatments, and find participants for clinical trials. Provena Consortium is building the depth of data and connections needed to support that work in Indiana.
Developed through a partnership among Indiana University, IU Health, Eli Lilly and Company, and the Indiana Health Information Exchange, Provena is a consent-based clinical and genomic data resource. It brings together whole-genome sequencing, longitudinal clinical information, and the ability to recontact participants for future research and clinical trial opportunities.
With more than 90,000 participants consented and a goal of reaching 250,000 by early 2029, the consortium creates opportunities for researchers, healthcare organizations, and industry to explore questions that require both genomic insight and a detailed understanding of patients’ health over time.
This workshop will introduce participants to Provena’s capabilities and bring potential users into a discussion about how the resource could support their work.
- October 28, 2026 | 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
- Hyatt Regency, Downtown Indianapolis
- Summit attendees are invited to register for one workshop at no additional cost
There is no cost to attend this workshop, but space is limited. Workshop registration is separate from Summit registration.
What to expect
Participants will learn about the consortium, explore its research portal, and hear how institutions and industry can engage. Presentations will provide a foundation for facilitated discussion about potential applications in precision medicine, clinical trial enrollment, and research across institutions.
The goal is to connect the people building Provena with researchers and organizations that could use it, helping participants identify relevant opportunities, ask practical questions, and explore potential collaborations.
Who should attend
This workshop is designed for life sciences researchers, industry partners, health system leaders, and teams involved in clinical research, genomics, precision medicine, and clinical trial planning.
It is particularly relevant to organizations interested in understanding Provena’s capabilities, exploring potential research applications, or connecting with the partners developing the resource.
Explore the Resource and Its Applications
Connecting Genomic and Clinical Information
- Learn how Provena combines whole-genome sequencing with decades of longitudinal clinical data to support research into disease, treatment, and patient outcomes.
- Navigating the Research Portal
- Get a look at the research portal and learn how institutions and industry can engage with the consortium. The discussion will give participants an opportunity to ask how its capabilities align with their research needs.
- Supporting Research and Clinical Trial Connections
- Explore how a consent-based resource with the ability to recontact participants can support future studies and clinical trial opportunities, alongside broader applications in precision medicine and collaborative research.
- Planning for Continued Growth
- Hear about Provena’s plans as it works toward its goal of 250,000 participants by early 2029 and discuss the research opportunities that a growing resource could support.
Connect Your Research Questions with What Comes Next
The facilitated discussion will explore:
Which research questions could benefit from linked genomic and longitudinal clinical data.
How Provena’s capabilities could support needs across academia, healthcare, and industry.
What potential users need to understand about engaging with the consortium.
Where collaboration could help advance research and clinical trial opportunities.
Bring the research questions and data needs your organization is working through. The session will provide an opportunity to discuss their relevance to Provena and identify connections to pursue beyond the Summit.
Featured speakers and work
Connecting Participants, Biospecimens, and Research
Brooke Patz | Senior Project Manager, Indiana Biobank
Indiana Biobank supports research by connecting donated biospecimens with clinical information and maintaining relationships with participants over time. Patz will explain the participant and biobanking experience, from consent and sample collection to the processing, storage, and distribution of samples for approved studies.
Her presentation will also explore how consent-based recontact allows researchers to collect additional samples and information or connect participants with clinical studies and trial opportunities.
Linking Genomic and Clinical Data for Research
Yunlong Liu, PhD | Professor of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine
Liu will introduce the sequencing capabilities and data infrastructure behind Provena, explaining how biospecimens, whole-genome sequencing, and clinical records come together to support research.
The session will explore how researchers can use the Provena portal to identify relevant groups of participants, submit study proposals, and pursue approved analyses within a secure research environment. These capabilities provide a foundation for investigating how genetic and clinical factors influence disease and treatment response.
Exploring an Industry Research Use Case
Tim Ryan | Vice President of Outcomes Research, Diabetes, Obesity, and Complications Research, Eli Lilly and Company
Ryan will share a Lilly use case to illustrate how industry researchers approach the opportunities presented by Provena. His contribution will connect the discussion of the consortium’s capabilities with a concrete research example, giving participants a basis for considering how the resource could support questions within their own organizations.