Knowledge & Inquiry

INDEPENDENT STUDY
To what extent can Big Data contribute to the
construction of knowledge in the field of science?
Contents

Overview of cancer research

Problems encountered (methodology, claims made, etc.)

Big Data

Arguments against Big Data

Conclusion
Research methods

Case-control studies external factors

Limited by sample size and cost
Used to determine long-term casual relationships
Susceptible to overdetermination

Lab experimentation internal factors

Many variables to account for as biological systems tend to have many things
needed for analysis
May not be good evidence to prove whats out there
Problems encountered

Cancer is a difficult disease complex, multivariate

Problems encountered

Cancer is a difficult disease complex, multivariate

Limitations in pre-clinical tools prevent scientists from making
important discoveries high level claims cannot be made easily
Problems encountered

Cancer is a difficult disease complex, multivariate

Limitations in pre-clinical tools prevent scientists from making
important discoveries high level claims cannot be made easily
Certainly, the limitations of preclinical tools such as inadequate cancer-cell-line and
mouse models make it difficult for even the best scientists working in optimal conditions
to make a discovery that will ultimately have an impact in the clinic.
C. Glenn Begley and Lee M. Ellis
Problems encountered

Cancer is a difficult disease complex, multivariate

Limitations in pre-clinical tools prevent scientists from making
important discoveries high level claims cannot be made easily
Most research papers published are found to be irreproducible or
unable to be validated difficult to construct knowledge
Problems encountered

Cancer is a difficult disease complex, multivariate

Limitations in pre-clinical tools prevent scientists from making
important discoveries high level claims cannot be made easily
Most research papers published are found to be irreproducible or
unable to be validated difficult to construct knowledge
Amgen: 6% of papers successfully reproduced
Bayer HealthCare: 25% of papers successfully reproduced
Problems encountered

Cancer is a difficult disease complex, multivariate

Limitations in pre-clinical tools prevent scientists from making
important discoveries high level claims cannot be made easily
Most research papers published are found to be irreproducible or
unable to be validated difficult to construct knowledge
Rigour of current methods of analysis is insufficient in providing
evidence to back claims made about cancer inadequate
justification
Big Data
POTENTIAL SOLUTION FOR RESEARCHERS
 Cancer

Da t a
Big Data

Obtains real-world information from many inputs truth value

Able to detect strong correlations easily (usefulness determined by
researcher) researchers can justify their claims more easily
Avoids problems encountered by traditional methods of research
(recall bias, sample error, etc.) strength of claims made increases
Analytical tools can reduce multivariate information into
manageable and interpretable size
Multivariate
Knowledg
e
Arguments against Big Data

Quality of data trustable data?

Relevance of data many unrelated factors which many cause
false claims
Ability to show the big picture availability of information on
negative cases
Conclusion

Using cancer research as a case study, it appears that Big Data has
much to contribute in helping researchers generate and justify
claims
Reasonable to conclude that Big Data is able to contribute to other
areas of science about the same extent