The emerging complexity of Open Science: assessing Intelligent Data Openness in Genomic Anthropology and Human...

Area of Science:

• Genomics
• Anthropology
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• Scientific progress increasingly relies on open science and effective data sharing.
• Advances in DNA sequencing have increased human genomic data but also its complexity.
• Traditional data sharing analysis focused solely on availability, neglecting other aspects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the findability, accessibility, usability, and assessability of genomic data beyond mere availability.
• To compare data sharing practices in human genomics and genomic anthropology with related fields.
• To evaluate human genomics' position as a leader in the open data movement.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study analyzing data sharing in peer-reviewed publications.
• Application of the "intelligent data openness" scheme, assessing findability, accessibility, usability, and assessability.
• Comparative analysis of data sharing rates across human genomics, genomic anthropology, paleogenetics, and evolutionary genetics.

Main Results:

• Genomic anthropology (73.0%) showed higher sharing rates than human genomics (32.4%).
• Human genomics sharing rates were lower than paleogenetics (96.8%) and evolutionary genetics (79.2%).
• Findability and usability were generally compliant, but data assessability was limited across both fields.

Conclusions:

• Human genomics may not be the forerunner in open data movement as previously thought.
• Privacy and methodological issues may influence data sharing rates in human genomics.
• Improving data assessability is crucial for achieving truly intelligent data openness in genomics.