Accelerating Open Science through Enhanced Access to Catalogs of Metadata Templates

Project Summary The proposed project aims to enhance Stanford’s CEDAR platform for creating and managing metadata in scientific research, ensuring that datasets are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR). CEDAR enables the use of metadata templates that render community-based reporting guidelines, simplifying the creation of standardized data records for users. As adoption by NIH projects continues to grow, there is a need to customize CEDAR to address the specific requirements of diverse user communities. Additionally, with the increasing number of submissions, it is essential to organize the repository’s contents in a structured and domain-specific manner to enhance searchability for domain experts. These improvements will make CEDAR more adaptable and user-friendly, supporting the varied needs of the scientific community and facilitating more efficient data management and discovery. The two primary goals include: 1. User Profiles: CEDAR will introduce three distinct user profiles to cater to the diverse needs and purposes of different user communities: a. Basic Profile: Designed for use cases where metadata consists of simple attribute-value pairs with straightforward input constraints for data validation purposes. This profile facilitates easy and efficient creation of standardized metadata without requiring specialized technical knowledge. b. Semantic Profile: Building on the Basic Profile, the Semantic Profile enables interoperability with BioPortal. This allows metadata values to be linked to standardized terms in biomedical ontologies, ensuring that users can specify the meanings of metadata values unambiguously and consistently. c. Modular Profile: Intended for use cases where metadata structures are shared across multiple projects and need to be organized into granular, reusable components. The Modular Profile supports intricate metadata arrangements, promoting consistency and reusability in collaborative and large-scale research environments. 2. Enhanced Search and Cataloging: CEDAR will provide a structured catalog of metadata templates, systematically organized using terms from standard biomedical ontologies. This organization will enable users to locate templates relevant to their specific domains efficiently. By leveraging semantic relationships, the structured catalog will significantly enhance the discoverability of templates, facilitating their use by biomedical investigators who wish to ensure that their datasets are FAIR.