LibGuides: SOM NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy: Choosing a Repository

Characteristics of Data Repositories

The following are characteristics identified by the BioMedical Informatics Coordinating Committee (BMIC) as being desirable characteristics of data repositories:

Persistent unique identifiers
Long-term sustainability
Metadata
Curation & quality assurance
Maximally open access
Tracking data re-use
Free of charge
Secure
Common format
Provenance

Additional considerations for repositories involving human data:

Fidelity to consent
Restricted use compliant
Privacy
Plan for breach
Download audit and control
Clear use guidance
Retention guidance
Plan for use violations
Request review

Source: Huerta MF. Strategic Approaches to Data Science & Open Science: Research Data Management. Presented at: Research Data Management Symposium; 2019 Dec 5; New York, NY.

Finding a Domain Specific Repository

There are many domain- or field-specific repositories to choose from. These links are some directories to help narrow your search.

Repository Finder
Interactive web interface to help researchers find repositories meeting their research requirements
NIH-Supported Data Sharing Resources
To help researchers locate an appropriate repository for sharing or accessing data, BMIC maintains lists of data sharing repositories.
re3data
A global registry of research data repositories that cover a wide range of academic disciplines.re3data presents repositories for the permanent storage and access of data sets to researchers, funding bodies, publishers and scholarly institutions.
Directory of Open Access Repositories (DOAR)
A directory of open access repositories.
Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell Data Catalog
A website tool to facilitate researchers’ discovery of data by providing a searchable and browsable online collection of records describing datasets generated by ZSOM, Northwell Health, and Feinstein Institute researchers.

Contact

If you need help with data management, choosing a data repository, or writing a DMSP, please contact:

Lena Bohman, Data Services and Research Impact Librarian, lena.g.bohman@hofstra.edu

Generalist Repositories

While NIH encourages the use of domain-specific repositories where possible, such repositories are not available for all datasets. The following repositories are affiliated with NIH.

Dryad
A repository of data underlying scientific and medical publications.
Figshare
Figshare enables academics to upload, share, cite and importantly discover all manner of research outputs with the security of knowing our hosting options and platform support long term preservation of data.
Open Science Framework
OSF is a free, open source web application that connects and supports the research workflow, enabling scientists to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their research. Researchers use OSF to collaborate, document, archive, share, and register research projects, materials, and data.
Synapse
Synapse is a collaborative, open-source research platform that allows teams to share data, track analyses, and collaborate developed by Sage.
Vivli
Vivli is an independent, non-profit organization that has developed a global data-sharing and analytics platform, focused on sharing individual participant-level data from completed clinical trials to serve the international research community.
Zenodo
An all-purpose open-access repository developed under the European OpenAIRE program and operated by CERN.

Generalist Repository Comparison Chart
This chart compares features of the generalist repositories affiliated with NIH.

Generalist Repository Selection Flowchart
Guide to choosing a generalist repository from the GREI working group, which is funded by NIH.

SOM NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy: Choosing a Repository

Selecting a Repository Decision Tree

Characteristics of Data Repositories

Finding a Domain Specific Repository

Contact

Generalist Repositories