Systems and methods for anonymizing personally identifiable information associated with epigenetic information

• US 20100027780A1
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Deep Science LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward K.Y., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Rivet, Dennis J., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Leuthardt, Eric C.
• Application Number:
  US11/986,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20100027780A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16B 20/00 ICT specially adapted for functional genomics or proteomics, e.g. genotype-phenotype associations
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records

Abstract

Methods and devices are described for anonymizing personally identifiable information associated with epigenetic information.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving epigenetic information including personally identifying information and at least one epigenetic feature of interest associated with the personally identifying information for an individual; and

obfuscating the personally identifying information.

2-40. -40. (canceled)

41. A system comprising:

means for receiving epigenetic information including personally identifying information and at least one epigenetic feature of interest associated with the personally identifying information for an individual; and

means for obfuscating the personally identifying information.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein means for receiving epigenetic information including personally identifying information and at least one epigenetic feature of interest associated with the personally identifying information for an individual comprises:

means for receiving the epigenetic information in the form of a database.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein means for receiving epigenetic information including personally identifying information and at least one epigenetic feature of interest associated with the personally identifying information for an individual comprises:

means for receiving a set amount of the epigenetic information for a plurality of individuals including at least the individual.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein means for receiving epigenetic information including personally identifying information and at least one epigenetic feature of interest associated with the personally identifying information for an individual comprises:

means for receiving a first set of the epigenetic information associated with the personally identifying information; and

means for receiving a second set of the epigenetic information associated with the personally identifying information.

45. The system of claim 44, further comprising:

means for receiving a third set of the epigenetic information associated with the personally identifying information.

46. The system of claim 41, wherein means for receiving epigenetic information including personally identifying information and at least one epigenetic feature of interest associated with the personally identifying information for an individual comprises:

means for receiving information including a cytosine methylation status of CpG positions.

47. The system of claim 41, wherein means for receiving epigenetic information including personally identifying information and at least one epigenetic feature of interest associated with the personally identifying information for an individual comprises:

means for receiving information including a histone modification status.

48. The system of claim 41, wherein means for receiving epigenetic information including personally identifying information and at least one epigenetic feature of interest associated with the personally identifying information for an individual comprises:

means for receiving the epigenetic information for a second individual.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein means for receiving the epigenetic information for a second individual comprises:

means for receiving the epigenetic information in the form of a database.

50. The system of claim 48, wherein means for receiving the epigenetic information for a second individual comprises:

means for receiving a set amount of epigenetic information for a plurality of individuals including at least the first individual and the second individual.

51. The system of claim 48, wherein means for receiving the epigenetic information for a second individual comprises:

means for receiving a first set of the epigenetic information associated with the personally identifying information; and

means for receiving a second set of the epigenetic information associated with the personally identifying information.

52. The system of claim 51, further comprising:

means for receiving a third set of the epigenetic information associated with the personally identifying information.

53. The system of claim 48, wherein means for receiving the epigenetic information for a second individual comprises:

means for receiving information including a cytosine methylation status of CpG positions.

54. The system of claim 48, wherein means for receiving the epigenetic information for a second individual comprises:

means for receiving information including a histone modification status.

55. The system of claim 41, wherein means for receiving epigenetic information including personally identifying information and at least one epigenetic feature of interest associated with the personally identifying information for an individual comprises:

means for receiving the epigenetic information on a subscription basis.

56. The system of claim 41, wherein means for obfuscating the personally identifying information comprises:

means for processing the personally identifying information.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein means for processing the personally identifying information comprises:

modifying at least one of a name, an address, a social security number, a telephone number, an ethnicity, a nationality, a genetic ID, an image, or an age.

58. The system of claim 56, wherein means for processing the personally identifying information comprises:

means for suppressing data cells containing at least one of epigenetic information or personally identifying information.

59. The system of claim 56, wherein means for processing the personally identifying information comprises:

means for binning at least one of the personally identifying information or the epigenetic information.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein means for binning at least one of the personally identifying information or the epigenetic information comprises:

means for establishing a bin identifier.

61. The system of claim 59, wherein means for binning at least one of the personally identifying information or the epigenetic information comprises:

means for transforming real data into categorical data, the categorical data including non-overlapping regions of a continuum.

62. The system of claim 56, wherein means for processing the personally identifying information comprises:

means for processing an algorithm.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein means for processing an algorithm comprises:

means for processing a k-anonymity algorithm.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein means for processing a k-anonymity algorithm comprises:

means for processing 1-diversity coupled with the k-anonymity algorithm.

65. The system of claim 62, wherein means for processing an algorithm comprises:

means for processing an Incognito algorithm.

66. The system of claim 62, wherein means for processing an algorithm comprises:

means for processing an ambiguation algorithm.

67. The system of claim 41 wherein means for obfuscating the personally identifying information comprises:

means for generalizing at least a portion of the personally identifying information.

68. The system of claim 41, wherein means for obfuscating the personally identifying information comprises:

means for removing at least a portion of the personally identifying information.

69. The system of claim 41, wherein means for obfuscating the personally identifying information comprises:

means for substituting at least a portion of the personally identifying information.

70. The system of claim 69, wherein means for substituting at least a portion of the personally identifying information comprises:

means for integrating a pseudonym.

71. The system of claim 69, wherein means for substituting at least a portion of the personally identifying information comprises:

means for replacing personally identifying information with an anonymous identifier.

72. The system of claim 41, wherein means for obfuscating the personally identifying information comprises:

means for encrypting the personally identifying information.

73. The system of claim 72, wherein means for encrypting the personally identifying information comprises:

means for applying symmetric-key cryptography.

74. The system of claim 73, wherein means for applying symmetric-key cryptography comprises:

means for applying a block cipher.

75. The system of claim 73, wherein means for applying symmetric-key cryptography comprises:

means for applying a stream cipher.

76. The system of claim 73, wherein means for applying symmetric-key cryptography comprises:

means for applying a message authentication code.

77. The system of claim 73, wherein means for applying symmetric-key cryptography comprises:

means for applying a hash function.

78. The system of claim 77, wherein means for applying a hash function comprises:

means for applying a one-way hash function.

79. The system of claim 77, wherein means for applying a hash function comprises:

means for applying a collision-free hash function.

80. The system of claim 72, wherein means for encrypting the personally identifying information comprises:

means for applying public-key cryptography.

81. A system comprising:

circuitry for receiving epigenetic information including personally identifying information and at least one epigenetic feature of interest associated with the personally identifying information for an individual; and

circuitry for obfuscating the personally identifying information.