ELIXIR mobilises experts to unify transcriptomics data standards and raise data quality across Europe: the establishment of the RNA Data Focus Group

ELIXIR is uniting experts across Europe to improve how RNA data is collected, annotated and reused, an effort gaining momentum with the creation of the ELIXIR RNA Data Focus Group. RNA, once seen mainly as a genetic messenger, now plays a starring role in modern biomedicine, from single-cell analyses and microbiome research to the rise of RNA-based therapies. But as RNA sequencing technologies have advanced rapidly, the standards for interpreting and comparing RNA data have struggled to keep pace, threatening data quality and reproducibility.

Visuals: An image representing Big Data. Source: pixabay.com

The new RNA Data Focus Group, composed of specialists from multiple ELIXIR Nodes, aims to fill this gap. Their mission is to establish common benchmarks, improve metadata annotation, and enhance interoperability across the many research communities that rely on transcriptomics. From systems biology and biodiversity to single-cell and microbiome studies, RNA data is becoming central – and consistent standards are essential. Already, the group has begun hands-on work, including a long-read RNA-sequencing benchmark at ELIXIR’s BioHackathon Europe 2025 in Berlin.

Coordinated by Ana Victoria Conesa Cegarra (ELIXIR Spain), Wilfried Haerty (ELIXIR UK), and Ernesto Picardi (ELIXIR Italy), with support from David Lloyd at the ELIXIR Hub, the group draws on ELIXIR’s deep experience in federated data infrastructures and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles.

For Latvia, joining the RNA Data Focus Group would mark a strategic step forward. Latvian researchers are producing more RNA-seq data than ever – from basic biology to clinical research – but inconsistent standards risk undermining long-term data value. By engaging early, Latvia can help shape the next generation of metadata models, ontologies, and benchmark datasets, ensuring national research remains interoperable and internationally competitive.