Susanne Hollmann, Babette Regierer, Joachim Lonien, Martin Golebiewski

www.icsb2013.dk

http://www.icsb2013.dk/images/Media/pdf/icsb2013_workshop.pdf

The integration of data for modelling is a critical step where intelligent rules play an essential role for the success. As systems biology needs to integrate heterologous and complex data to build models, the need for data standards in the life sciences becomes an urgent topic. Therefore, systems biology could play a major role in the development of new and helpful standards for the production of high quality data. Systems biology could therefore be a driver for standardisation processes in the life sciences in general. The systems biology community needs the close cooperation with data generation groups and the bioinformatics world to define a strategy how to generate the high quality data in the life sciences needed for model generation. The workshop will address questions on standardization activities and processes in the life sciences with specific emphasis on systems biology needs. It also offers fundamental information about the creation of economically reasonable conditions for future industrial application. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the generation and processing of data are highly important for data integration and model creation in particular in respect to because only the use of standards lead to

• high quality and comparable data, regardless of the sample origin and environment, and
• for the use and application of results for industrial exploitation (e.g. in Synthetic biology).

The development of SOPs can also feedback and thus have impact to the creation of new standards. During the workshop 'Standardizing Data and Metadata in Systems Biology' experts will provide an inside view on the processes around standardisation on the national (e.g. German) and international (CEN, ISO) level, followed by an overview on ongoing initiatives on standardisation (e.g. COMBINE, ISBE, AllBIO) in different life science areas. In a final discussion with the participants it is expected to define challenges and needs for standardisation activities in the systems biology and – if possible – also in the whole life science area. As a consequence, strategic considerations will be developed addressing key stakeholders on the European level. Thus, the systems biology community could benefit from the prominent role and be a driver in this area influencing the way how data are generated in the life sciences in general.