A 10 minute talk given at the RDA Plenary 9 meeting in Barcelona, April 2017. This talk covers the work performed over the past 18 months in the joint RDA/Force11 WG. This WG has two main outputs, a set of guidelines for how one can link data policies, databases and data standards (in the life sciences); and the BioSharing registry (building upon the prototype).

1. BioSharing – connecting data
policies, standards & databases in
the life sciences
BioSharing WG
Peter McQuilton, PhD
Susanna-Assunta Sansone, Rebecca Lawrence and
Simon Hodson
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2. What challenges did the WG face? What
were the aims?
To develop guidelines for linking information on
databases, content standards and journal and
funder data policies in the life sciences
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Data policies by
funders, journals and
other organizations
(100s)
Database, tools
and services
(>1000)
Data/metadata standards
(650+)
Formats Terminologies Guidelines

3. What challenges did the WG face? What
were the aims?
To develop a curated registry (running since 2011),
to access and cross-search this information, such
that a variety of stakeholders can make decisions
on which standards and databases to use or
endorse
https://www.biosharing.org
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4. A web-based, curated and searchable portal that monitors the development and
evolution of standards, their use in databases and the adoption of both in data
policies, to inform and educate the user community.
What is BioSharing?
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5. Describe the output – biosharing.org
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6. What are the ramifications of not having the
problem resolved?
Standards are reinvented
Databases use the wrong standards
Data policies fail to endorse appropriate resources
Increasingly, data is lost as it is not
• Findable
• Accessible
• Interoperable
• Reusable
(The FAIR principles)
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7. Who is affected by this WG?
Data creators and (re)users in
the life, biomedical and
environmental sciences
People who recommend
or endorse the use of data
standards and databases
in the life, biomedical and
environmental sciences
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8. Describe the Working Group structure (how many
members, diversity of experience, geographies,
etc.)
>50 members from around the world
Standard/database developers
Funders
Journal data editors
Researchers
Data managers/librarians
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9. RDA/Force11 BioSharing WG

10. Standard developing groups, incl.:Journals/publishers/Funders, incl.:
BioTools
Cross-links and data exchange, incl.:
Societies and organisations, incl.: Institutional RDM services, incl.:
Projects/programmes,
incl.:
Adoption & Implementation
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11. Feedback and comments
Output report available now
Help us define and refine our guidelines for linking
data policies, databases and data standards in the
life, biomedical and environmental sciences
Contacts: rda-biosharing-wg@rda-groups.org
biosharingwg@force11.org
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