Information system for data integration and data sharing

The goal of WP5 is to integrate genotype and phenotype data into a European network web portal. Connecting the omics data with the vast amount of samples, phenotypes and other attributes of the gene banks will constitute a major achievement. Along with data integration from gene banks and research collections, a wider view through the integration of geographic information will be established. This will help putting value on genetic and phenotypic information in the catalogue by integration of socio-economic, socio-demographic, climatic, environmental, policy and other information relevant to the geographic origin of the genetic materials stored in gene banks.

WP5 will be developed from existing infrastructures and software systems, such as the EMBL-EBI archives, EVA and BioSamples. Data and software will be made freely available to the community. WP5 will set up a conceptual model of database, data standards, and metadata; develop common vocabularies and generate and connect ontologies with environmental descriptors; harmonise genetic definitions and integrate database resources; build a web portal giving access to national gene bank databases and related data sources; harmonise local management tools and design and implement the data management plan.

WP5 will result in:

• Synchronisation of information on location and nature of sample collections in European gene banks
• Web portal for Europe wide gene bank material with downloadable information on sample, genotype and annotations, searchable with regards to a broad range of attributes
• Diversity related tools such as a diversity browser
• Applications oriented towards breeders’ needs
• Support for registering samples in the EMBL-EBI BioSamples database