The Systems and Molecular Biology data Archive (SyMBA) Project. The Centre for Integrated Systems Biology of Ageing and Nutrition (CISBAN) has developed a Systems and Molecular Biology Data and Metadata Archive (SyMBA) based on the Functional Genomics Object Model (FuGE-OM) that archives, stores, and retrieves raw high-throughput data. Until now, few published systems have successfully integrated both multiple omics data types and information about experiments in a single database. An archive was needed at CISBAN, and an emerging data standard such as FuGE provides a fast development time for the archive in the short term, and an export format that is easy to extend and share in the longer term. A central data repository prevents deletion, loss, or accidental modification of primary data, while giving convenient access to the data for standards-compliant publication and analysis. SyMBA also provides a central location for storage of metadata for high-throughput data sets, and will facilitate subsequent data integration strategies within the CISBAN. Use of SyMBA is not limited to use within CISBAN, and we encourage other groups with similar needs to install, evaluate, and contribute to the development of SyMBA.
