DNA repair and genetic stability: elucidating the effects of cell physiology in Escherichia coli

One of the biggest problems of reusing data in open research is the quality of data description (metadata), which often lacks sufficient detail. The problem is acute in quantitative microscopy, which is the central method used in my project to measure DNA repair proteins in living bacteria. A carefully tuned sequence of image and data analysis steps is critical to track individual protein molecules. Each stage of analysis must be recorded and described to make the research reproducible.

We will develop a software platform that links the research tools that we use daily with existing, public and institutional repositories. It will automatically collect metadata at each step. It will assemble comprehensively described datasets and make them automatically available for open access at the university.

By developing a fully automated platform we will make open data sharing easier and more accurate. We will use the platform to share data with our collaborators which will improve working practices in other groups.