Global data resource LIPID MAPS awarded two international badges of excellence

A Cardiff University-led resource, LIPID MAPS, has been awarded membership of two prestigious international bodies, highlighting the project’s essential roles in advancing research in fields such as genomics, proteomics, and other life sciences.

LIPID MAPS, a freely available resource that provides comprehensive information about lipid molecules and their roles in cellular processes, has become a Global Core Biodata Resource and achieved both Core Data Resource and Deposition Database status at ELIXIR.

Prof Valerie O’Donnell, Lead investigator, said: “We are delighted that LIPID MAPS has been awarded these distinguished badges and look forward to working with both the Global Biodata Coalition and ELIXIR more closely.”

Biodata resources are vital infrastructure for all research worldwide. Both the Global Biodata Coalition and ELIXIR safeguard open access scientific data and ensure support for data infrastructure, to ensure researchers can understand living organisms in health and disease.c

The Global Biodata Coalition aim to internationally coordinate sustainable and more efficient mechanisms to support biodata resources by sharing knowledge and strategies. The Global Biodata Coalition has a total of 52 Global Core Biodata Resources.

Warwick Anderson, Chair of the Global Biodata Coalition Board of Funders said, “Preserving critical life science data resources for use by future generations is vitally important and it is reassuring to know that this combined effort towards sustainability by the Global Biodata Coalition in tandem with life science funders and representatives of the resources themselves is well underway.”

ELIXIR coordinates and develops life science resources across Europe so that researchers can more easily find, analyse, and share data, exchange expertise, and implement best practices.

Peter Maccallum, ELIXIR Chief Technical Officer, said “The announcement of new Core Data Resources not only identifies high-quality and trustworthy data and interoperability resources for the user community, but supports our progress towards sustainable funding of the resources, which together form the backbone of the life science data ecosystem in Europe.”