The Gabriella Miller Kids First Data Resource Center (Kids First DRC) is migrating its genomic data to a new storage location. As we near the completion of this transition, this guide explains the technical changes that are taking place and what you need to do to maintain uninterrupted access to Kids First data.
What changes are taking place?
Kids First genomic data files are being relocated to a new storage site managed by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The new location supports long-term storage and will ensure these datasets remain available for secondary research use in the future.
The data files themselves are not changing — you’ll still have access to the same alignments, variants, and gene expression counts. Controlled-tier data will continue to require dbGaP approval on a per-study basis. If you already have an approved dbGaP application, you do not need to resubmit it. All data files will still be available via the Kids First Portal for analysis on CAVATICA.
Existing CAVATICA projects will remain visible, but any files loaded before the migration in Sepember 2025 may no longer function properly. Below are instructions to check whether your files are affected and how to refresh them if needed.
Data Repository Service
When users identify a set of files on the Kids First Portal and click the “Analyze in CAVATICA” button, the underlying Portal software fetches a list of URLs for those files and sends them to your selected CAVATICA project. These URLs are generated via the Global Alliance for Genomics & Health (GA4GH)’s Data Repository Service (DRS). Each URL points to a particular file in its storage location.
DRS is the mechanism which allows controlled-tier Kids First data only to be used by researchers with approved data access requests. When a user interacts with a Kids First file, either running a cloud workflow or attempting to download it, DRS checks whether they are approved to access it before allowing the interaction to proceed.
Each Kids First file now has a new DRS URL associated with its location in the new storage. URLs that reference the old storage location are being made inactive and will no longer function. Files on CAVATICA with old URLs will still be present in your CAVATICA projects, but they will not be able to be used for analysis or download. Think of an old URL like a bookmark to a website that has been taken offline — the bookmark remains, but the site is no longer accessible.
DRS URLs which begin drs://data.kidsfirstdrc.org point to the old copy of the Kids First genomic data. These URLs are being deprecated and will no longer work. The new DRS URLs beginning with drs://nci-crdc.datacommons.io point to the new copy of the Kids First genomic data and will be required to use Kids First data in the future.
You can determine the DRS URL of a file on CAVATICA in two ways.
The first method is by hovering over the server stack icon to the left of the file name in the Files tab on CAVATICA. The DRS URL will appear as a popup.
Two different genomic files pushed from the Kids First Portal to the same project on CAVATICA. The first file has an old DRS URL, as identified by hovering over the server stack icon to the left of the file name. This file is present in the project, but it would not be functional if it was used as part of an analysis or download. The second file has a new DRS URL and is able to be incorporated into an analysis.
The second method is by clicking on the individual file in the Files tab on CAVATICA. The DRS URL will appear in a blue box at the top of the screen. It also appears as part of the “access URL” under additional metadata lower on the same page.
The File Details page for the same two genomic files described above. The first file has an old DRS URL, as identified in the blue box at the top of the screen. Again, this file is present in the project, but it would not be functional if it was used as part of an analysis or download. The second file has a new DRS URL and is able to be incorporated into an analysis.
A general rule is that if you pushed files from the Kids First Portal to CAVATICA prior to September 2025, you likely have the old DRS URLs and will need to update your project’s files to continue using Kids First genomic data.
Updating DRS URLs to Access Kids First Data
If your project uses old DRS URLs, you need to take action to maintain access. Specifically, you should push new copies of the files you need from the Kids First Portal to CAVATICA.
Before doing that, it is required to connect an account from the Cancer Genomics Cloud to access files with new DRS URLs on CAVATICA. Steps for this connection are outlined in Walkthrough 1.
Walkthrough 1: Connecting CAVATICA to Cancer Genomics Cloud
Step 1: Navigate to the Velsera Cancer Genomics Cloud at https://cgc-accounts.sbgenomics.com/. Login to the platform using your eRA Commons ID.
Step 2: On the CGC Home Page, under the “Developer” drop down in the top menu, choose “Authentication token.”
Step 3: On the CGC Developer Token Page, click “Generate” or “Regenerate” to create a token. This token is unique and functions similarly to a username and password. Do not share this token, and if it is accidentally exposed, regenerate a new one immediately.
Step 4: Navigate to the CAVATICA Home Page at https://cavatica.sbgenomics.com. Using the dropdown menu in the top right of the screen with the username displayed, choose Account Settings.
Step 5: At the top of the Account Settings page, select Dataset Access. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find “Cancer Genomics Cloud Powered by Seven Bridges – Import via Data Browser.” In the blank box, paste the CGC Developer Token generated in step 2 above and click “Connect account.”
Step 6: Your connected account will show your CGC username in CAVATICA.
Walkthrough 2: Pushing New Copies of Files to CAVATICA
Users pushing new copies of genomic files to CAVATICA should follow a workflow similar to that used when creating the original copies.
- Connect Kids First Portal and CAVATICA Accounts
- Begin by following the steps on the Connecting Platforms page to connect your Kids First Portal account to your Authorized Studies via Gen3 and Cloud Analysis via CAVATICA.
- Return to the Kids First Portal and Push Files to CAVATICA
- Using the directions in the Data Files page of the Kids First Help Center, identify files of interest on the Kids First Portal. Then push them to CAVATICA using the “Analyze in CAVATICA” button. Any new files will have the updated DRS URLs and be immediately available for analysis and download.
Need additional help?
If you have any questions about the data migration or necessary steps to maintain access to Kids First datasets, please reach out to us so that we may help support your research projects.
- Contact us at support@kidsfirstdrc.org at any time with a description of the problems you are facing.
- Visit us during our two monthly support sessions.
- SupportU, on the first Tuesday of each month.
- MasterClass, on the third Thursday of each month.
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