BackgroundSystems biologists study interaction data to understand the behaviour of whole cell systems, and their environment, at a molecular level. In order to effectively achieve this goal, it is critical that researchers have high quality interaction datasets available to them, in a standard data format, and also a suite of tools with which to analyse such data and form experimentally testable hypotheses from them. The PSI-MI XML standard interchange format was initially published in 2004, and expanded in 2007 to enable the download and interchange of molecular interaction data. PSI-XML2.5 was designed to describe experimental data and to date has fulfilled this basic requirement. However, new use cases have arisen that the format cannot properly accommodate. These include data abstracted from more than one publication such as allosteric/cooperative interactions and protein complexes, dynamic interactions and the need to link kinetic and affinity data to specific mutational changes.ResultsThe Molecular Interaction workgroup of the HUPO-PSI has extended the existing, well-used XML interchange format for molecular interaction data to meet new use cases and enable the capture of new data types, following extensive community consultation. PSI-MI XML3.0 expands the capabilities of the format beyond simple experimental data, with a concomitant update of the tool suite which serves this format. The format has been implemented by key data producers such as the International Molecular Exchange (IMEx) Consortium of protein interaction databases and the Complex Portal.ConclusionsPSI-MI XML3.0 has been developed by the data producers, data users, tool developers and database providers who constitute the PSI-MI workgroup. This group now actively supports PSI-MI XML2.5 as the main interchange format for experimental data, PSI-MI XML3.0 which additionally handles more complex data types, and the simpler, tab-delimited MITAB2.5, 2.6 and 2.7 for rapid parsing and download.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12859-018-2118-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The first quarter of 2020 heralded the beginning of an uncertain future for museums and galleries as the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the only means to stay ‘open’ was to turn towards the digital. In this paper, we investigate how the physical closure of museum buildings due to lockdown restrictions caused shockwaves within their digital strategies and changed their data practices potentially for good. We review the impact of COVID-19 on the museum sector, based on literature and desk research, with a focus on the implications for three museums and art galleries in the United Kingdom and the United States, and their mission, objectives, and digital data practices. We then present an analysis of ten qualitative interviews with expert witnesses working in the sector, representing different roles and types of institutions, undertaken between April and October 2020. Our research finds that digital engagement with museum content and practices around data in institutions have changed and that digital methods for organising and accessing collections for both staff and the general public have become more important. We present evidence that strategic preparedness influenced how well institutions were able to transition during closure and that metrics data became pivotal in understanding this novel situation. Increased engagement online changed traditional audience profiles, challenging museums to find ways of accommodating new forms of engagement in order to survive and thrive in the post-pandemic environment.

We need to talk about the lack of investment in digital research infrastructure Research software infrastructure is critical for accelerating science, and yet, these digital public goods are often unsustainably funded. Solving this problem requires an appreciation of the intrinsic value of research software outputs, and greater investment of time and effort into effectively funding maintenance of software at scale.

Multinational video conferencing and online calls for training and community building have been commonplace for many organisations, even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. These calls can be intended to be hands-on and interactive, but it requires conscious designing, pre-planning, and careful moderation in order to make them inclusive for a range of abilities. This article describes formats and tools for designing online training calls for accessibility. Measures include high-quality real-time or post-hoc transcriptions or closed-captions for spoken content in calls, providing writing-based interactive discussions, and consulting with experts and people with lived experience before any of these actions are implemented. Many of these options are cost-free, although sometimes for-pay alternatives may offer better accessibility if funding is possible. Finally, iteration and feedback are essential parts of accessibility design in participatory events including online calls. As organisers, we should accept that we may make mistakes and hence, ensure that we build pathways to enable evidence and experience-based improvements.These measures will aid participation for a broad audience but may be especially helpful for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, people for whom the call language isn’t their preferred language, and people who are not comfortable speaking in front of a group.