Dr Isabel Fortier is researcher at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre where she leads the Maelstrom Research and DataSHaPER programs. These initiatives aim to develop and provide the research community from diverse disciplines with resources (expertise, methods and software) to leverage and support (1) data harmonization and integration across studies and (2) implementation of individual study infrastructures. In addition, she serves as coordinator of data harmonization for the BioSHaRE (Biobank Standardisation and Harmonisation for Research Excellence in the European Union) project. This large scale FP7-funded project aims to ensure the development of harmonized measures and computing infrastructures enabling the effective pooling of data across large European cohorts studies including UK Biobank, Lifelines, KORA, Nord-Trøndelag Health Study, LifeGene, Estonian Genome Center, National Child Development Study, and National FINRISK Study. Dr Fortier also led the construction of the P3G (Public Population Project in Genomics) Observatory, a central internet repository of scientific resources and tools. Finally, at the Canadian level, Dr Fortier has been involved in the development and harmonization of a number of cohorts including the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (50 000 participants), CARTaGENE (20 000 participants) and Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow project (300 000 participants).