Marine Data Resources Community

The Marine Data Resources Community (MDRC) was started in 2022 to help catalogue and organise biological marine data in Portugal. The Community was formed from the marine component of the ELIXIR Marine Metagenomics Community when it was reconfigured to broaden its operational scope, and was renamed the Microbiome Community. We believe that marine science in Portugal is especially important given the country’s maritime history, its stewardship over the largest marine environment of any European country, and its reliance on the oceans not only as a source of food, but also as a source of national pride and aesthetic. Consequently, we believe there is ample opportunity for marine data scientist to develop collaborative projects within the scope of BioData.pt|ELIXIR.pt. The initiation of the MDRC has started a process of reorganisation to define its core of operations. This strengthening approach has been based on a first attempt to expand the number of members and institutions participating in the community. A first step has been to map the expectation the members have for the community and define key area targets for growth.