ELIXIR-STEERS aims to help life science researchers to access national data sets and conduct large-scale, cross-border analysis of data from across Europe.
It will promote good software management practices and support life scientists with their software management needs.
It will collect these good practices into a toolkit for green and reproducible software and workflows.
Background
ELIXIR STEERS builds on the work of two previous European projects:
- ELIXIR-EXCELERATE (2015-19) was a HORIZON 2020 project that helped establish ELIXIR. The project focussed on the coordination and delivery of bioinformatics services from national Nodes (see Who we are). It laid the foundation for a coordinated European life science infrastructure.
- ELIXIR-CONVERGE (2020-23) was another project funded by the European Commission. It developed the work of ELIXIR-EXCELERATE and added a critical component: it drove best practices, standards, training and support in data management across the ELIXIR Nodes. It also connected data management experts and established a network of data stewards across Europe.
Objectives
ELIXIR STEERS ensures that ELIXIR continues to operate as a world-class Research Infrastructure (RI), and continues to enable wider participation in computational life science research. It will focus on a new and critical area of scientific need: the provision of software and workflows to life scientists, maximising productivity in research, and minimising consequent energy usage. It will:
- Create a toolkit for robust, reproducible, and green software and workflows.
- Enable cross-border data analysis in the life sciences by embedding common practice across the whole European Research Area via the ELIXIR Nodes.
- Partner in Europe and internationally for global competitiveness and sustainability.
Work Packages and their leaders
- WP1: Coordination and support
Laura Carletti, Juan Arenas (ELIXIR Hub) - WP2: Implementation of research software best practices through ELIXIR Communities
Silvio Tosatto (Univerity of Padua), John Hancock (University of Ljubljana), Fotis Psomopoulos (CERTH) - WP3: Infrastructure services to enable adoption and deployment of software best practices
Frederik Coppens (VIB), Salvador Capella-Guttierez (BSC) - WP4: Strengthening and equipping ELIXIR Nodes and Node staff with key skills and resources in organisation, management and training
Jessica Lindvall (University of Uppsala), Jiří Vondrášek (UOCHB), and Ana Portugal Melo (biodata.pt) - WP5: Communications, outreach, industry and international
Elaine Harrison, Despoina Sousoni, Corinne Martin (ELIXIR Hub)
Participants
36 research institutes in 23 countries across Europe.
Deliverables
There are 17 deliverables. See the deliverables page.
Governance
The project is coordinated by the ELIXIR Director (at the ELIXIR Hub). It is overseen by the Management Board, which is made up of the STEERS Work Package leaders and the ELIXIR Director. The Board receives input from the ELIXIR Heads of Nodes Committee, the ELIXIR Scientific Advisory Board, and the ELIXIR Industry Advisory Committee. For more about these advisory bodies and how ELIXIR is run see Governance.
Principal Investigator
Interim Director of ELIXIR and Head of External Relations (ELIXIR Hub)
Duration
Three years (February 2024 - January 2027)
Budget
€4M