Title |
Model organism databases: essential resources that need the support of both funders and users
|
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Published in |
BMC Biology, June 2016
|
DOI | 10.1186/s12915-016-0276-z |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Stephen G. Oliver, Antonia Lock, Midori A. Harris, Paul Nurse, Valerie Wood |
Abstract |
Modern biomedical research depends critically on access to databases that house and disseminate genetic, genomic, molecular, and cell biological knowledge. Even as the explosion of available genome sequences and associated genome-scale data continues apace, the sustainability of professionally maintained biological databases is under threat due to policy changes by major funding agencies. Here, we focus on model organism databases to demonstrate the myriad ways in which biological databases not only act as repositories but actively facilitate advances in research. We present data that show that reducing financial support to model organism databases could prove to be not just scientifically, but also economically, unsound. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom | 10 | 34% |
Canada | 3 | 10% |
United States | 2 | 7% |
India | 1 | 3% |
Brazil | 1 | 3% |
France | 1 | 3% |
Switzerland | 1 | 3% |
Saudi Arabia | 1 | 3% |
Unknown | 9 | 31% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 15 | 52% |
Scientists | 10 | 34% |
Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 4 | 14% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Brazil | 2 | 3% |
Singapore | 1 | 2% |
United Kingdom | 1 | 2% |
Unknown | 55 | 93% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Researcher | 18 | 31% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 8 | 14% |
Student > Master | 8 | 14% |
Student > Bachelor | 4 | 7% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 2 | 3% |
Other | 8 | 14% |
Unknown | 11 | 19% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 19 | 32% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 6 | 10% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 5 | 8% |
Computer Science | 4 | 7% |
Immunology and Microbiology | 3 | 5% |
Other | 10 | 17% |
Unknown | 12 | 20% |