The Global Data Coalition announced its 2023 selection round for Global Core Biodata Resources (GCBRs), adding 15 biodata resources to its list. Among the resources to be named was the Gene Expression Database for Mouse Development (GXD).
The GXD is supported by a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at the National Institutes for Health and hosted at The Jackson Laboratory under the leadership of Associate Professor Martin Ringwald, Ph.D.
GCBRs represent the most crucial components or nodes within the global life science data infrastructure, whose failure would have a critical impact on the global research endeavor. A key property of the GCBRs is that the data they hold is available openly and can be accessed and used without restriction by researchers the world over. The Mouse Genome Database (MGD), also hosted at JAX, was among the first group of resources to be named GCBRs in late 2022. The 2023 designees are the second group to be recognized with the GCBR designation and bring the total number of GCBRs to 52.
The GXD captures and integrates mouse gene expression data generated by researchers worldwide, with a particular emphasis on mouse development. Gene expression data can provide researchers with critical insights into the functions of genes and the molecular mechanisms of development, differentiation and disease. The GXD maintains close ties with other Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI) projects to provide access to a wide scope of integrated data, including genotypic, phenotypic, and disease related data.
The 2023 selection process was open to biodata resources globally, and the GCBRs chosen met stringent eligibility criteria. A panel of more than 50 independent expert reviewers selected them based on their scientific focus, the size and reach of their user communities, their quality of service, their governance, and their impact on global research. The Global Biodata Coalition advocates for their sustained, long-term support, as their discontinuation would have a highly detrimental impact on global research.