Webinar: Gateway Showcase featuring VectorBase and CitSci.org
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 15 June 2017 16:00
June 14, 2017
Gateway Showcase featuring VectorBase and CitSci.org
VectorBase: A bioinformatics resource for invertebrate vectors and other organisms related with human diseases
Presented by Gloria I. Giraldo-Calderón, PhD, VectorBase Scientific Liaison/Outreach Manager
Contact: ggiraldo at nd dot edu
Abstract: VectorBase (www.vectorbase.org) is a free, web-based bioinformatics resource center (BRC) for invertebrate vectors of human pathogens, funded by NIAID/NIH. This database is the ‘home’ of 40 genomes of arthropod vectors and pests and also has transcriptomes, proteomes and population data for an even wider list of species. The population biology data includes lab and field collected information and, in addition to the data imported from external databases or directly submitted by users, VectorBase also generates and computes primary data. Over its 13 years of existence, the discovery and interpretation of hosted data has been used for basic and translational research, as expressed in numerous scientific publications, using data from one or more studies in new or re-purpose analyses, descriptions, and hypotheses testing. Raw and process data can be exported or downloaded in a variety of different formats, visualized, browsed, queried and analyzed with the site tools or any other external tools. VectorBase data, tools, and resources are updated every two months. The website has extensive documentation resources for new and experienced users including tutorials, video tutorials, practice exercises, answer keys, and sample files.
CitSci.org: A platform for engaging citizen scientists through individualized websites
Presented by Greg Newman, Director CitSci.org & Research Scientist, Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University
Contact: Gregory.Newman at colostate dot edu
Abstract: Citizen science empowers individuals to pursue their interests in the scientific world. Members of CitSci.org are encouraged to investigate their own scientific questions or jump on board as a volunteer for an existing project. In parallel, citizen science programs create their own online projects where trained volunteers and scientists together answer local, regional, and global questions, inform natural resource decisions, advance scientific understanding, and improve environmental education. The platform provides tools to empower the citizen science gateway creators and their participants to ask questions, select methods, submit data, analyze data, and share results. CitSci.org provides tools for the entire research process and full spectrum of citizen science program needs: creating new projects, managing project members, building custom data sheets, analyzing collected data, and gathering participant feedback. To date, our volunteer coordinators have started 414 projects that have contributed a total of 697,984 measurements for analysis to answer local, regional and/or global questions.