Table 4.

Challenges and opportunities ahead

Challenges	Explanations
Evolving ontology representation of various data and metadata elements	Generation of data and metadata will continue to grow. The need to link different and novel data types, cell markers, assays, and assay components is a dynamic approach and needs constant community engagement.
Data visualization, integration, and dissemination of results	Data (raw and processed), metadata and all QC elements will become publicly available for all types of users in a way easy to find, access, interoperate, reuse, and interpret. What is the best way to do this?
Incorporation of external data	The external data would need to meet KPMP QC standards for meaningful interpretation and relevance and reach of KPMP and non-KPMP-generated data for discoveries
KPMP policies to address changes in technologies	Some technologies and platforms may change. How will data be acquired and archived to be compatible with data from future platforms? This may need a large source of reference tissues that can be interrogated and shared by the TISs.
Software changes (analytical or visual software)	New softwares present challenges in compatibility, reliability, and security.
Strategies to test batch effect and technology or assay drifts	Current and future technologies are expected to provide an a priori plan to detect batch effect and technology drifts and provide solutions. What reference tissue standards are suitable for this purpose?
Validation of emerging technologies and incorporation into KPMP	Will there be a need for a standard tissue used for validating new technologies? What should this tissue be? Is there unlimited supply?
Hyperdimensional data management, storage, and sharing	An increasingly problematic issue when big data will be generated from each tissue specimen.
Patient protection in the era of artificial intelligence	The risk of linking patients to deidentified raw data may increase as machine learning tools develop further. Steps to mitigate risks in publicly available data will need to be implemented.
Justifying the use of limited renal biopsy tissue for research that is unlikely to benefit the patient and could compromise diagnostic yield	The follow-the-tissue pipeline enables multimodal analysis on leftover tissue from diagnostic specimens and would enhance current diagnostic pipeline, as these technologies may lead to new validated clinical tests that can improve diagnosis and management of patients with kidney disease.

KPMP, Kidney Precision Medicine Project; QC, quality control; TIS, tissue investigative site.