Join the Health COI for our upcoming member meeting on June 25, 2026. This virtual event will feature a fireside chat with Dr. Emily Boja, Branch Chief, Office of Data Sharing, National Cancer Institute. The discussion will be moderated by Ratima Kataria, VP, Health IT Strategy, ICF.
Session Title: From Data to Discovery: How NCI Is Advancing Cancer Research Through Scalable Data Sharing
Session Description:
As cancer research becomes increasingly data‑driven, the ability to share, access, and reuse data at scale is essential to accelerating discovery and improving patient outcomes. In this fireside chat, Dr. Emily Boja, Branch Chief of the Office of Data Sharing at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), will discuss how NCI is transforming the cancer data ecosystem through initiatives such as the Cancer Research Data Commons (CRDC) and hands‑on collaborations like NCI’s Data Jamboree. Moderated by Ratima Kataria, this conversation will explore how NCI is breaking down silos, enabling interoperability, and fostering a culture of shared data to support researchers, clinicians, and policymakers across the cancer community.
Speaker Bios
Dr. Emily Boja is Branch Chief in the NCI Office of Data Sharing, where she leads implementation of NIH data sharing policies and co-chairs NCI and Gabriella Miller Kids First Data Access Committees. She provides strategic leadership to advance responsible data sharing, strengthen governance, and streamline controlled-access processes, while supporting multi-omics initiatives for Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI) and GMKF and fostering collaboration through workshops and data-focused events. With over 26 years at HHS, including NIH and FDA, she has led programs such as Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium, precisionFDA, and facilitated data use through data jamboree and computational challenges. Dr. Boja has authored 80+ publications and holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Virginia Commonwealth University.
Ratima Kataria is Vice President for Health IT Strategy at ICF, serving as a trusted advisor across the federal government, including the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and multiple civilian agencies. With over 28 years of leadership experience, she specializes in CIO advisory, enterprise data modernization, AI adoption, and large scale technology transformation initiatives that advance federal missions.
During the COVID 19 pandemic, Ratima served as Deputy Chief Information Officer for HRSA, leading critical modernization efforts during one of the most demanding periods in federal service. She is a national award winner and a recognized thought leader known for driving cross government collaboration and shaping innovative approaches to improve mission outcomes.
A modernization strategist and influential voice in federal IT, Ratima actively engages with senior leaders across government and participates in professional associations such as ACT IAC and PSC to champion emerging technologies, digital modernization, and best practices.
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Virtual
United States