Maximizing the utility of public data

The human genome project galvanized the scientific community around an ambitious goal. Upon completion, the project delivered several discoveries, and a new era of research commenced. More importantly, novel technologies and analysis methods materialized during the project period. The cost reduction allowed many more labs to generate high-throughput datasets. The project also served as a model for other extensive collaborations that generated large datasets. These datasets were made public and continue to accumulate in repositories. As a result, the scientific community should consider how these data can be utilized effectively for the purposes of research and the public good. A dataset can be re-analyzed, curated, or integrated with other forms of data to enhance its utility. We highlight three important areas to achieve this goal in this brief perspective. We also emphasize the critical requirements for these strategies to be successful. We draw on our own experience and others in using publicly available datasets to support, develop, and extend our research interest. Finally, we underline the beneficiaries and discuss some risks involved in data reuse.

Automated summary

The human genome project ignited scientific interest in an ambitious goal, leading to significant discoveries and a new era of research. The project's impact extended beyond its results, as novel technologies and analysis methods emerged, making high-throughput datasets more accessible to labs and serving as a model for future collaborations. To effectively utilize these datasets for research and public benefit, re-analysis, curation, and integration with other data forms are crucial.