Manchester hosts two ELIXIR annual meetings on Interoperability and Tools
In November 2024, Manchester played host to two key groups of the wider ELIXIR Europe – the Interoperability and Tools Platforms – bringing together experts to strengthen connections, align efforts, and plan for the future of FAIR-enabled life science resources.
Interoperability platform: aligning for greater impact
The Interoperability group discussions centred on improving the integration and usability of FAIR-enabling products, such as RDMKit, FAIRsharing and FAIRCookbook, while addressing broader adoption challenges.
Developing a FAIRification framework also took centre stage, with participants exploring ways to assess and guide resource alignment with FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable).
The meeting emphasised the importance of storytelling and showcasing successful use cases to strengthen ELIXIR’s impact and visibility beyond its immediate community. The group aims to create practical examples and resources that will inform future initiatives and provide actionable guidance for users and stakeholders.
Tools Platform: driving efficiency and sustainability
The Tools Platform meeting discussed enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of ELIXIR’s tools and services. Discussions addressed ongoing challenges, including the environmental impact of bioinformatics and workflow systems.
The group also reflected on how to streamline activities, ensuring a mission-first approach that aligns key deliverables but also meets the community’s needs.
In addition, participants explored opportunities to integrate widely used services, such as BioContainers, into existing platforms like bio.tools, reinforcing the sustainability of critical infrastructure. The Tools Platform will continue to engage with other research infrastructures and communities to enhance collaboration and facilitate wider adoption of ELIXIR’s tools.
Collaboration: building a unified strategy
Both meetings underscored the importance of collaboration, communication and alignment across groups to maximise ELIXIR’s impact.
They highlighted the value of showcasing success stories, improving outreach, and engaging communities to ensure the adoption of resources and approaches.
Notes to editors
About ELIXIR-UK
ELIXIR-UK is part of the European ELIXIR infrastructure, which supports life science research and its translation to medicine, the environment, and society. By integrating national bioinformatics resources, ELIXIR-UK aims to provide a sustainable infrastructure for biological information, ensuring that data is effectively managed, analysed and shared across the scientific community.
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