From Planning Stage Towards FAIR Data: A Practical Metadatasheet For Biomedical Scientists.

Katharina Sieckmann, Tobias Fromme, Elvira Mass, Dagmar Wachten, Iva Splichalova, Danli Ran, Mickel Mikhael, Staffan Hildebrand, Mario Lauterbach, Dalila Juliana Silva Ribeiro, Katharina Kuellmer, Ronja Kardinal, Jiangyan Yu, Janina Behrens, Johanna Bruder, Tobias Blum, Dominik Tischer, Anne-Kathrin Gellner, Andreas Schlitzer, Marc Beyer, Jan Hasenauer, Ana Soriano-Arroquia, Ludger Scheja, Martin Klingenspor, Viktoriya Peeva, Wiebke K Fenske, Sebastian Kallabis, Karsten Hiller, Andreas Till, Akim Strohmeyer, Yuanfang Li, Alexander Pfeifer, Felix Meissner, Eicke Latz, Henning Wackerhage, Hao Huang, Lea Seep, Stephan Grein

Journal: Scientific data 2024;11(1):524

PMID: 38778016

Abstract

Datasets consist of measurement data and metadata. Metadata provides context, essential for understanding and (re-)using data. Various metadata standards exist for different methods, systems and contexts. However, relevant information resides at differing stages across the data-lifecycle. Often, this information is defined and standardized only at publication stage, which can lead to data loss and workload increase. In this study, we developed Metadatasheet, a metadata standard based on interviews with members of two biomedical consortia and systematic screening of data repositories. It aligns with the data-lifecycle allowing synchronous metadata recording within Microsoft Excel, a widespread data recording software. Additionally, we provide an implementation, the Metadata Workbook, that offers user-friendly features like automation, dynamic adaption, metadata integrity checks, and export options for various metadata standards. By design and due to its extensive documentation, the proposed metadata standard simplifies recording and structuring of metadata for biomedical scientists, promoting practicality and convenience in data management. This framework can accelerate scientific progress by enhancing collaboration and knowledge transfer throughout the intermediate steps of data creation.

© 2024. The Author(s).

Address: Computational Biology, Life & Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.; Developmental Biology of the Immune System, Life & Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.; Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.; Department of Bioinformatics and Biochemistry, Technical University Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.; Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.; Computational Biology, Life & Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.; Quantitative Systems Biology, Life & Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.; Systems Immunology and Proteomics, Institute of Innate Immunity, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.; Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Medical Center Bonn, Bonn, Germany.; Chair of Molecular Nutritional Medicine, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany.; Immunology and Environment, Life & Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.; Immunogenomics & Neurodegeneration, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.; Immunogenomics & Neurodegeneration, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.; PRECISE, Platform for Single Cell Genomics and Epigenomics at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.; Institute of Physiology II, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.; School for Medicine and Health, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.; Chair of Molecular Nutritional Medicine, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany.; EKFZ-Else Kröner-Fresenius Center for Nutritional Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany.; ZIEL Institute for Food & Health, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany.; Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Medical Center Bonn, Bonn, Germany.; Department of Internal Medicine I - Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany.; Systems Immunology and Proteomics, Institute of Innate Immunity, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.; Experimental Systems Immunology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany.; Quantitative Systems Biology, Life & Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.; Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.; PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.; Computational Biology, Life & Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany. [email protected].; Helmholtz Center Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Computational Health Center, Munich, Germany. [email protected].
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