Becoming part of the Global Image Data Ecosystem 

Biological, preclinical and clinical imaging technologies are a central part of life science research, medical research and clinical practice. Imaging encompasses a wide range of modalities that generate vast amounts of data which are crucial for diagnosing diseases, understanding biological processes, and developing new therapies. 

The raw images themselves are only part of the story. The metadata— data about the data—plays an equally, if not more, critical role in making this vast body of information useful. However, a wide range of imaging techniques and fast technological developments make the standardisation of image data, ontologies –controlled vocabulary and relations to describe data– and metadata challenging.

Laying the foundations of a Global Image Data Ecosystem

Euro-BioImaging coordinates the foundingGIDE project, which is funded under the European Commission's Horizon Europe framework program. This project aims to lay the foundation for a Global Image Data Ecosystem (GIDE) that will strive to enable seamless sharing of bioimage data across the globe. The project partners include research infrastructures representing imaging facilities in their regions, (Euro-BioImaging, National Imaging Facility, Australia, Microscopy Australia, ABiS, Japan), data repositories (BioImage Archive, IDR and SSBD), and developers of data management systems based on XNAT (AIS XNAT), who are engaging in data and metadata harmonisation and community outreach, starting with our first foundingGIDE Community Event.  

foundingGIDE Community Event 2024 will bring together various stakeholders from the global imaging data community to Okazaki, Japan. This is an opportunity to exchange ideas between bioimage data producers and consumers, data resource owners and maintainers, and bring them together with funders, policy makers, and other relevant stakeholders. The aim of the foundingGIDE Community Event 2024 is to identify the current landscape, needs, and directions of future developments in the global imaging data ecosystem. 

Connecting  the global image data community

foundingGIDE brings together partners from Europe, Australia and Japan but it also connects to other countries and regions including, South Africa, India, Singapore, North America and Latin America, through Global BioImaging and other networks of project partners.

It is an ambitious endeavour as it needs the whole imaging community to come together and contribute to the foundations of these common standards that will enhance the use and reuse of image data. foundingGIDE will focus on taking the first steps towards our main objectives, and formulating a future strategy towards common standards for biological and preclinical image data. Find out here how you can engage with foundingGIDE.

Attend foundingGIDE Community Event 2024

foundingGIDE Community Event will take place in Okazaki, Japan on 31st October - 1st November, and it is available in hybrid format, find out more details on the event here or register.

The foundingGIDE Community Event 2024 will be preceded by the Global BioImaging Exchange of Experience IX and ABiS International Symposium 2024. These three events are available in hybrid format.  The foundingGIDE Community Event 2024 will be followed by the foundingGIDE BioImage Hackathon. Find out more about these back-to-back events here.

You can stay up to date with developments and future opportunities by signing up for the foundingGIDE newsletter and by following foundingGIDE on LinkedIn and X.