Data Formats

The modules of the dbNP are web applications and store data related to experiments in local PostgreSQL databases. In order to export or import to the databases, the dbNP is aiming at supporting the following four file formats and standards for exchanging experimental data.

Excel

Sample data can be imported and exported in Excel format widespread among experimental biologists.

XML

The dbNP aims at providing a proprietary XML import/export empowering the users to take local copies of their own data.

ISA-tab

Work is in progress implementing ISA-tab support for study meta data. For each individual data processing pipeline the ISA-tab export will be combined with raw data to produce ISA-archives which will allow data from dbNP to be directly uploaded to EBI repositories and to be transferred to tools using ISA-tab and ISA-archive as import formats. The ISA compliant study description will allow cross experiment comparisons at different levels.

Functional Genomics Experiment (FuGE)

FuGE provides a model of common components in functional genomics investigations, such as materials, data, protocols, equipment and software. The dbNP aims at supporting data exchange with FuGE.