Poster Number
40
Poster Title
Developing Indonesia’s national genomic infrastructure: building a secure, equitable and interoperable health data ecosystem to empower a young innovation ecosystem
Authors
Ines Atmosukarto and Indri Rooslamiati Supriadi, on behalf of the Indonesia BGSI Ecosystem
Center for Biomedical and Health Genomics, Ministry of Health, Indonesia
Center for Biomedical and Health Genomics, Ministry of Health, Indonesia
Abstract
Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country, is making a landmark effort to integrate genomic technologies into its national health system through the Biomedical and Genome Science Initiative (BGSI). Launched in 2022 by the Ministry of Health, BGSI aims to accelerate precision medicine by developing scalable, inclusive, and interoperable infrastructure for genomic data collection, analysis, and sharing, aligned with international standards and best practices. This effort is shaped by Indonesia’s archipelagic geography, rich ethnolinguistic diversity, a decentralized health system, and the integration of digital health through the SATUSEHAT platform.
A foundational step of BGSI is the establishment of a two-tiered biobanking network, connected by a unified sample management system. Ten top-tier hospitals, each functioning as a Hub with a specific disease or research focus, are linked to a centralized biobank and sequencing facility managed by the Center for Biomedical and Health Genomics. This network ensures harmonized biospecimen handling and integrated clinical-genomics data flow across the ecosystem.
BGSI has also developed a standardized tiered informed consent model that respects cultural and ethical considerations, ensuring participants retain control over their data. Since late 2023, more than 14,000 participants have been recruited via hospital-based pathways, with Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) completed for over 13,000 individuals. A pilot program for returning genomic results, using a sandbox approach, is underway through both targeted Next Generation Sequencing and WGS analysis.
Additionally, BGSI is integrating sBeacon, a serverless GA4GH Beacon implementation, into its national Trusted Research Environment (TRE) with airlock mechanisms for secure data ingress and egress. This ensures scalable, cost-efficient, and privacy-compliant data sharing. By aligning with GA4GH frameworks, BGSI is building a foundation for interoperable, ethically governed, and equitable genomic medicine, while contributing to the global genomics ecosystem and safeguarding national sovereignty.
A foundational step of BGSI is the establishment of a two-tiered biobanking network, connected by a unified sample management system. Ten top-tier hospitals, each functioning as a Hub with a specific disease or research focus, are linked to a centralized biobank and sequencing facility managed by the Center for Biomedical and Health Genomics. This network ensures harmonized biospecimen handling and integrated clinical-genomics data flow across the ecosystem.
BGSI has also developed a standardized tiered informed consent model that respects cultural and ethical considerations, ensuring participants retain control over their data. Since late 2023, more than 14,000 participants have been recruited via hospital-based pathways, with Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) completed for over 13,000 individuals. A pilot program for returning genomic results, using a sandbox approach, is underway through both targeted Next Generation Sequencing and WGS analysis.
Additionally, BGSI is integrating sBeacon, a serverless GA4GH Beacon implementation, into its national Trusted Research Environment (TRE) with airlock mechanisms for secure data ingress and egress. This ensures scalable, cost-efficient, and privacy-compliant data sharing. By aligning with GA4GH frameworks, BGSI is building a foundation for interoperable, ethically governed, and equitable genomic medicine, while contributing to the global genomics ecosystem and safeguarding national sovereignty.
Digital Poster