Swedish Pathogens Portal as part of the Pathogen Data Network
Published: 2025-05-22
SciLifeLab Data Centre is part of a major international initiative to advance infectious disease data sharing. Funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Pathogen Data Network (PDN) will build infrastructure, tools, and training to support FAIR data practices. The four-year project brings together 12 international partners and is coordinated by the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics.
‘The Pathogen Data Network aims to become a global, diverse and inclusive hub for distributed resources that foster infectious-disease FAIR data management and processing.’ says Aitana Neves, Associate Director of Clinical Bioinformatics at SIB. ‘With a strong focus on support, capacity building, and trustworthiness, everyone interested is welcome to join its Open Community Forum to actively engage and provide feedback to the resources that will be developed.’
SciLifeLab Data Centre is, together with EMBL-EBI, leading work to create a knowledge base. This knowledge base will enable access to multiple types of infectious disease data, particularly that related to pathogens of highest concern. EMBL-EBI’s Pathogens Portal will comprise the central element of the knowledgebase. Data and information is intended to flow into this central element via multiple local pathogens portal nodes. The first of such nodes, the Swedish Pathogens Portal, was established by SciLifeLab Data Centre in 2023. This node has formed the basis of other local nodes, and one of the aims of the PDN is to support the creation of multiple other local nodes.
As part of the PDN project, SciLifeLab Data Centre has created an openly available reference software so that other nodes can be established quickly. New nodes can also apply for seed money via the PDN to get started. As a result, local nodes are now being established in multiple countries, including Kenya, Mexico, and Japan. SciLifeLab Data Centre is currently working with the PDN’s community of practice to develop a roadmap describing how the reference software will be expanded in the second year of the project.
‘The Open and FAIR sharing of data and other research resources is crucial in accelerating research. In the case of infectious disease, this can mean limiting the impact of outbreaks and pandemics.’ says Liane Hughes, project leader of the Swedish Pathogens Portal. ‘We are proud to be working to help establish nodes that will aid the flow of infectious disease data globally.’
The PDN is funded by the NIH NIAID BRC program (award number U24AI183840). Please see the PDN website for more information and to keep up to date with the latest news.