The detailed know-how to implement research protocols frequently remains restricted to the research group that developed the method or technology. This knowledge often exists at a level that is too detailed for inclusion in the methods section of scientific articles. Consequently, methods are not easily reproduced, leading to a loss of time and effort by other researchers. The challenge is to develop a method-centered collaborative platform to connect with fellow researchers and discover state-of-the-art knowledge. Protocols.io is an open-access platform for detailing, sharing, and discussing molecular and computational protocols that can be useful before, during, and after publication of research results.
The advent of metagenomic methods to sequence DNA directly from an environment has revolutionized viral ecology, making it possible to “see” natural viral communities that could not be previously studied through culture. This technological leap has enabled further innovation in: extracting and sequencing limited viral DNA from communities, enriching and sequencing wild viruses through single-cell genomics, and creating new bioinformatics methods for large-scale comparative and functional metagenomics. Yet, the knowledge for specialized techniques in viral ecology remains in a subset of labs. We present a viral ecology community forum called VERVENet that strives to increase connectivity and knowledge dissemination in viral ecology research at all levels from undergraduates to accomplished viral ecologists. Our forum leverages and refines existing software from protocols.io to enhance a researcher’s ability to: discuss and share protocols, connect with fellow community members, and learn about new and innovative research in the field. In delivering these valuable tools, VERVENet is a central resource to connect, collaborate, share and innovate for the viral ecology community. Moreover, these tools are broadly useful to any community or individual lab to promote scientific inquiry, reproduction of results, and dissemination and optimization of both molecular and bioinformatics protocols.
33The advent of metagenomic methods to sequence DNA directly from an environment has revolutionized 34 viral ecology, making it possible to "see" natural viral communities that could not be previously studied This need is even more apparent in emerging fields such as aquatic viral ecology where lab, field, and 58 bioinformatics methods are being actively developed in a subset of labs (Weinbauer et al. 2010). Further, 59given the experimental nature of these methods, the virus ecology community has expressed a need for 60 fostering discussions about these protocols towards improved methodologies and to increase connectivity 61 and collaboration among researchers. The challenge is to develop a method-centered collaborative 62 platform that recapitulates the functionality of a scientific meeting -a digital community for connecting 63 with fellow researchers to share and discover the state of the art. 64 65Here, we present the Viral Ecology Research and Virtual Exchange Network (VERVENet), a 66 collaboration between the University of Arizona and protocols.io, to deliver an online forum for the virus 67 ecology community. This forum promotes scientific communication and collaboration to (i) fuel 68 connectivity among viral ecology researchers for sharing data sets, knowledge, job postings, conference 69 announcements through a common online forum called VERVENet, (ii) share protocols and their 70 annotations and optimizations, and (iii) facilitate literature discovery through personalized 71 recommendations to promote discussion on cutting edge viral ecology research. Through interconnecting 72 these valuable resources, we have developed a "go-to" site for viral ecology research (2016k). Moreover, 73 these tools are broadly useful to any community or individual lab for promoting scientific inquiry, 74PeerJ Preprints | https://doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.1901v1 | CC-BY 4.0 Open Access |
The Internet has enabled online social interaction for scientists beyond physical meetings and conferences. Yet despite these innovations in communication, dissemination of methods is often relegated to just academic publishing. Further, these methods remain static, with subsequent advances published elsewhere and unlinked. For communities undergoing fast-paced innovation, researchers need new capabilities to share, obtain feedback, and publish methods at the forefront of scientific development. For example, a renaissance in virology is now underway given the new metagenomic methods to sequence viral DNA directly from an environment. Metagenomics makes it possible to “see” natural viral communities that could not be previously studied through culturing methods. Yet, the knowledge of specialized techniques for the production and analysis of viral metagenomes remains in a subset of labs. This problem is common to any community using and developing emerging technologies and techniques. We developed new capabilities to create virtual communities in protocols.io, an open access platform, for disseminating protocols and knowledge at the forefront of scientific development. To demonstrate these capabilities, we present a virology community forum called VERVENet. These new features allow virology researchers to share protocols and their annotations and optimizations, connect with the broader virtual community to share knowledge, job postings, conference announcements through a common online forum, and discover the current literature through personalized recommendations to promote discussion of cutting edge research. Virtual communities in protocols.io enhance a researcher’s ability to: discuss and share protocols, connect with fellow community members, and learn about new and innovative research in the field. The web-based software for developing virtual communities is free to use on protocols.io. Data are available through public APIs at protocols.io.
The Internet has enabled online social interaction for scientists beyond physical meetings and conferences. Yet despite these innovations in communication, dissemination of methods is often relegated to just academic publishing. Further, these methods remain static, with subsequent advances published elsewhere and unlinked. For communities undergoing fast-paced innovation, researchers need new capabilities to share, obtain feedback, and publish methods at the forefront of scientific development. For example, a renaissance in virology is now underway given the new metagenomic methods to sequence viral DNA directly from an environment. Metagenomics makes it possible to “see” natural viral communities that could not be previously studied through culturing methods. Yet, the knowledge of specialized techniques for the production and analysis of viral metagenomes remains in a subset of labs. This problem is common to any community using and developing emerging technologies and techniques. We developed new capabilities to create virtual communities in protocols.io, an open access platform, for disseminating protocols and knowledge at the forefront of scientific development. To demonstrate these capabilities, we present a virology community forum called VERVENet. These new features allow virology researchers to share protocols and their annotations and optimizations, connect with the broader virtual community to share knowledge, job postings, conference announcements through a common online forum, and discover the current literature through personalized recommendations to promote discussion of cutting edge research. Virtual communities in protocols.io enhance a researcher’s ability to: discuss and share protocols, connect with fellow community members, and learn about new and innovative research in the field. The web-based software for developing virtual communities is free to use on protocols.io. Data are available through public APIs at protocols.io.
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