Interoperability Platform
General objective The Interoperability Platform aims to provide Services, Standards and Expertise in order to maximise value and benefit by integrating data from disparate resources across disciplines and borders, and to align with activities in other Platforms. We work across the whole of ELIXIR to deliver a sustainable portfolio of FAIR Recommended Interoperability Resources (RIRs), including those embedded within national data management practices and Node Service Delivery
Plans (SDPs), and to provide the infrastructure that will aid the discovery, exploration, interoperability and reuse of scientific data. We review our RIRs against a service maturity and life-cycle model (Figure 4). We adopt, adapt and drive emerging practices and technologies, avoiding ad-hoc and proprietary implementations, and align with relevant and related key global efforts (Research Data Alliance, NIH BD2K Data Commons, GA4GH, and other international activities). This work will be carried out in four groups (see Table 5).
The ELIXIR Interoperability Platform’s mission is to maximise the interoperability of bioscience services, datasets and knowledgebases, building on the concept of making data FAIR and directed at its actual reuse. We will work in partnerships ranging from individual data providers and interoperability service developers to international standardisation initiatives and communities. Through sustainable interoperability products and services, combined with a philosophy across European life science of ‘standards as the default at data source’, we aim to maximise the value and benefit of disparate resources across disciplines, communities and borders. This work is community driven to deliver “Interoperability with a Purpose”.
Platform organisation Platform co-Leaders Chris Evelo (ELIXIR-NL), Carole Goble (ELIXIR-UK), Helen Parkinson (EMBL-EBI)
Platform Coordinator Sirarat Sarntivijai (ELIXIR Hub)
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ELIXIR Scientific Programme 2019–23
Idea Gap in the Interoperability architecture highlights an idea for a new resource
Alpha First working version of resource. Used by subset of community
Resource deployment Resource becomes a key part of the interoperability Architecture. Resource evolves sustainable funding method
Platform scope and ambition Challenge The ELIXIR Interoperability Platform (EIP) has been established to deal with the challenge of delivering FAIR data: to make available the services needed to make data FAIR, to work with FAIR data, and to enable its actual reuse. The FAIR data challenge spans the different complexity levels and the variety of life science data types; across the datasets, data catalogues, data tools and services; across the multitude of biological disciplines and organisational boundaries and, at the EOSC level, across disciplines and to support e-Infrastructure services. The adoption of standards, services and stewardship best practice by data providers will provide scientists with the tools they need to do research efficiently.
Prototype Explore technical options for new resource. May produce early prototype
Beta Established working version of resource. Used by wider community. Architecture gap seen to be filled albeit not with production grade
Resource retirement Resource is retired as no longer needed or is replaced by improved technology
Figure 4: Recommended Interoperability Resource Maturity Model
ELIXIR Scientific Programme 2019–23
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