MRC data sharing initiative moves up one gear

The Medical Research Council (MRC) is looking to fund a new data support service to underpin wider access & use of biomedical research data.  To this effect, it has just issued a call for proposals.

Unlike, for instance, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the MRC does not run its  own network of data centres.  However, in recent years , it has  slowly been building up its  data sharing and preservation policy, which, among other things, calls for all applicants submitting funding proposals to the MRC to include a statement explaining their strategy for preserving research data for sharing and re-use.  The data support service is a new application of this policy, and the MRC seems to be in a hurry to set it up. Anyone interested in bidding for the project needs to apply for a pre qualification questionnaire by 26 November, with a deadline for bids set for 17 December.  Full details on the call document (link above); good luck to all applicants.

And incidentally, the fact that I spent 10 happy years working for the MRC has absolutely nothing to do with my promoting this initiative…­