29. Introduction of an online portal for cancer-specific gene list curation

In anticipation of the upcoming gene list manuscript describing a procedure to create and maintain cancer-specific gene lists, curation has become a topic of discussion. The process of curating cancer-specific gene lists is time-consuming and manual. As we roll out a standard CGC procedure for creating and maintaining disease-specific gene lists, we also realize the need for facilitation of this effort and for crowd sourcing within CGC’s larger membership. The CGC Genomic Resource Development Committee (GRDC) formed a subgroup to develop a mechanism to accept feedback from the CGC community for cancer-specific gene list curation. A new online form provides a portal to suggest additions or edits to a cancer-specific gene list or to propose a new gene list. The same web page also displays the current gene lists developed and curated by CGC cancer-specific working groups. CGC members can simply fill out a form visible on the gene list page on the CGC Members Only website. Submission information must include 1) the cancer-specific gene list to be curated, 2) gene name, 3) short text description of clinical evidence, 4) references (PMIDs, guidelines, etc.), 5) name and email address of submitter. Suggestions for addition or removal of genes from a gene list will generate an email that will be directed toward a small group of GRDC members who will triage the request and perform a preliminary search of somatic databases, knowledgebases, and/or literature before communicating with the appropriate cancer-specific working group leaders. Once the curation is completed, the GRDC team will add or remove the gene of interest in the appropriate BED and AED files and coordinate any edits to the gene list spreadsheet with disease specific working group leaders. When members are interested in creating a new cancer-specific gene list, an online form can be used to propose a new working group and the GRDC will connect interested individuals and provide with resources needed to create the gene list of interest according to a common standard established by CGC. The goal of this effort is to provide a gene list curation service for CGC community to enable a community-driven curation of more gene lists. This initiative also encourages engagement of all CGC members to contribute and collaborate to the curation of cancer-specific gene lists.