Cambridge, 11 February 2016… New research published in PLOS Computational Biology, has identified the top ten rules for selecting a bio-ontology.
The rules cover a range of issues including ensuring that the bio-ontology is about a specific domain of knowledge, it is current, it needs to be written by domain experts and it should be under active development. However, the authors also go on to add that in certain circumstances, a bio-ontology may not be needed at all.
The research which comes from scientists at FactBio, the University of Manchester and the European Bioinformatics Institute has identified a series of rules to allow researchers to better understand how to choose the correct bio-ontology. These include:
• The ontology should be about a specific domain of knowledge
• The ontology should reflect current understanding of biological systems
• The ontology classes and relationships should persist
• Classes should contain textual definitions
• Textual definitions should be written for domain experts
• The ontology should be developed by the community but not incapacitated by it
• The ontology should be under active development
• Previous versions should be available
• Open data requires open ontologies
• Sometimes an ontology is not needed at all
Dr James Malone, CEO of FactBio, and first author of the paper said: “Bio-ontologies represent an important tool for describing and sharing data. Selecting the most appropriate ontology can be a big challenge for researchers, especially those new to the area. We hope this set of rules, while not exhaustive, will help the scientist in deciding how to best choose a bio-ontology that is fit for their needs.”
Professor Robert Stevens, from the University of Manchester, and co-author of the paper added: “The primary message of the paper is think about your requirements. There is a desire in the community to share and integrate data which highlights the value of using a bio-ontology. By using the rules described in the paper it is possible to identify if an ontology will be of use to a scientist and help bring some clarity to the frequently asked question of how one selects a bio-ontology.”
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For further information, please contact:
Tony Stephenson
Chief Operating Officer, FactBio
T: 07899 796655
E: tony@factbio.com
Notes to editors:
FactBio Limited is a developer of bioinformatics software, supporting knowledge management and improved data discovery. Through the Company’s products, users can better exploit experimental data and find relevant sources to accelerate their research. The Company’s founders are using their unique expertise to develop software that will allow companies and organisations to answer new questions with their existing data in areas such as drug development and the understanding of disease mechanisms.
