Blackberry trials Workspaces collaboration software with Melanoma Institute Australia

Blackberry is trialling its Workspaces file storage and collaboration platform with Melanoma Institute Australia, aiming to assist the advancement of melanoma research.

The enterprise file synchronisation and sharing (EFSS) solution aims to connect clinicians, researchers and external contributors on a single network.

“The research conducted by Melanoma Institute Australia, and all its outcomes, are critically important for the future of many people in Australia and around the world,” Melanoma Institute Australia chief information officer Ernie White said.

“We maintain and aim to grow an even wider melanoma research community to share new developments that are progressing rapidly. A secure, collaborative workspace provides our researchers with the necessary tools to continue improving the health outlook of the 14,000 Australians diagnosed with melanoma every year.”

Blackberry entered the communications platform-as-a-service market early last year as part of its transition away from its mobile phone business.

The company started outsourcing development and design of its smartphones in September 2016 and released its last Android-powered smartphone one month later.

“Some of the world’s best clinical research is successful when members and organisations in the healthcare ecosystem can effectively collaborate on ideas – regardless of location,” Blackberry global healthcare industry lead Sara Jost said.

“As a leading cybersecurity company in the business of securing data and communications, BlackBerry is proud to support the vital work of Melanoma Institute Australia and its plans to expand its research network.”

Through Workspaces, approved contributors are able to save and share data from medical histories and clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of treatments and interventions.

The platform can assist researchers in sharing timely clinical data, reducing the risk of data leakage, improving patient outcomes and accelerating research efforts and meet governance and regulatory requirements.

“The ability for Melanoma Institute Australia to advance collaboration and expand our secure network is important for further advancement in potentially life-changing research,” Melanoma Institute Australia chief executive Carole Renouf said.

“As little as five years ago, someone diagnosed with advanced or Stage IV melanoma had only a 25 percent chance for surviving 12 months. Today, through research, the first year survival rate has improved to 75 percent. This is giving melanoma sufferers real reason for hope.”

In December, Blackberry launched a crisis communications specialisation program for its Australian channel partners, aiming to improve communication and collaboration between Blackberry's partners and their customers in the event of a disaster.

Two of those partners include Optus Business and Briggs Communications, who signed up for Blackberry’s AtHoc crisis communications software in June last year.