Data navigation on the ENCODE portal

Area of Science:

• Genomics
• Bioinformatics
• Functional Genomics

Background:

• The ENCODE (Encyclopedia of DNA Elements) project has been identifying functional elements in the human and mouse genomes for two decades.
• Comprehensive data from over 23,000 functional genomics experiments, 800+ characterization experiments, and 60,000+ computational analyses are publicly available.
• The project's final phase focuses on novel assays for genomic element characterization and validation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report recent updates to the ENCODE data portal, improving data accessibility and usability for the scientific community.
• To highlight enhancements in data processing, visualization, and download options.
• To provide a summary of data generated through uniform processing pipelines.

Main Methods:

• Development and maintenance of an open-access data portal (https://www.encodeproject.org/).
• Implementation and utilization of uniform processing pipelines for data generation.
• Introduction of novel assays for genomic element characterization and validation.

Main Results:

• A redesigned ENCODE data portal homepage for improved user navigation.
• Enhanced search interface and custom-designed pages for biologically related datasets.
• Improved data visualization and user-friendly download options via an enhanced cart interface.

Conclusions:

• The updated ENCODE data portal offers significantly improved accessibility to comprehensive genomic data.
• Uniform processing pipelines ensure data consistency and reliability.
• These enhancements facilitate further research into the functional elements of the human and mouse genomes.