Why BrainChild?
Despite advances in research and treatment, childhood cancer remains one of the leading causes of disease-related death among children. Vital data is collected throughout each patient’s cancer journey — including not only clinical data but also research data generated in scientific studies and research projects.
However, legal, technical, and structural barriers make it difficult to combine and use this wealth of information in a meaningful way. BrainChild was born out of the need to solve this — by unlocking the full potential of both clinical and research data to drive cancer research forward in a way that is smarter, faster, and more secure than today.
The problem we’re facing
Data exists — but it’s siloed, fragmented, and underused
Today, large volumes of valuable data are generated across hospitals, research centers, and biobanks. However, these datasets are often stored in incompatible systems, governed by different legal frameworks, and isolated from one another.
This fragmentation makes it difficult — and often impossible — to answer complex questions like:
- Why do some children relapse while others don’t?
- Which treatments are most effective for specific genetic profiles?
- How can we reduce long-term side effects in survivors?
Researchers and clinicians often lack the tools to combine and interpret data at scale. The result is missed opportunities for faster diagnosis, more effective treatment, and personalized care.
Why this matters for children and families
Better use of data = better decisions and better outcomes
When data can’t be accessed or combined, we risk using generalized treatment approaches that may not reflect individual needs. This can lead to over-treatment, under-treatment, or missed chances for early intervention.
Improved data use can help identify patients at a high risk of relapse, assess hereditary factors, or flag long-term health risks early — making care more targeted, safer, and more effective. It also allows doctors to learn from every child’s case, not just the ones they treat personally.
Why this matters for research and innovation
Breakthroughs need better foundations
Most research projects today require researchers to manually extract, clean, and standardize data from disparate systems — a process that is time-consuming, error-prone, and often non-repeatable.
Moreover, many researchers work in isolation, with limited ability to reuse or build upon each other’s findings. BrainChild aims to provide the technical and structural foundation needed for scalable, collaborative, data-driven research — including the use of advanced AI technologies that depend on high-quality, harmonized datasets.
Why now
The technology exists. The need is urgent. The time is right.
Sweden is uniquely positioned to lead in this space — with a trusted healthcare system, national registers, and strong research infrastructure.
Technologies like AI, genomics, and cloud platforms have reached a maturity level that allows for scalable, secure and ethical integration of health data. What has been missing is the connective tissue — a framework to bring these components together.
BrainChild is that framework.