--- a
+++ b/project_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import json
+import jsonlines
+            
+import sys
+import pickle
+import project_config
+
+
+##############################################
+# Read in/write patients
+
+def read_patients(filename):
+    patients = []
+    with jsonlines.open(filename) as reader:
+        for patient in reader:
+            patients.append(patient)
+    return patients
+
+
+def write_patients(patients, filename):
+    with open(filename, "w") as output_file:
+        for patient_dict in patients:
+            json.dump(patient_dict, output_file)
+            output_file.write('\n')
+            
+
+def read_dicts():
+    with open(project_config.KG_DIR / f'hpo_to_idx_dict_{project_config.CURR_KG}.pkl', 'rb') as handle:
+        hpo_to_idx_dict = pickle.load(handle)
+
+    with open(str(project_config.KG_DIR / f'ensembl_to_idx_dict_{project_config.CURR_KG}.pkl'), 'rb') as handle:
+        ensembl_to_idx_dict = pickle.load(handle)
+
+    with open(project_config.KG_DIR /  f'mondo_to_idx_dict_{project_config.CURR_KG}.pkl', 'rb') as handle:
+        disease_to_idx_dict = pickle.load(handle)
+
+    with open(str(project_config.PROJECT_DIR / 'preprocess' / 'orphanet' / 'orphanet_to_mondo_dict.pkl'), 'rb') as handle:
+        orpha_mondo_map = pickle.load(handle)
+
+    return hpo_to_idx_dict, ensembl_to_idx_dict, disease_to_idx_dict, orpha_mondo_map