Curating Brain Images in a Psychiatric Research Group: SCARP Case Study No.1 Summary and Recommendations

Abstract

Curating neuroimaging research data for sharing and re-use involves practical challenges for those concerned in its use and preservation. These are exemplified in a case study of the Neuroimaging Group in the University of Edinburgh’s Division of Psychiatry. The study is one of the SCARP series encompassing two aims; firstly to discover more about disciplinary approaches and attitudes to digital curation through ‘immersion’ in selected cases, in this case drawing on ethnographic approaches. Secondly SCARP aims to apply known good practice, and where possible to identify new lessons from practice in the selected discipline areas; in this case using action research to assess risks to the long term reusability of datasets, and identify challenges and opportunities for change. The Neuroimaging Group is involved in several collaborative eScience initiatives to improve data sharing and re-use in their discipline. At the same time a key issue for them is improvement of local infrastructure to address their expanding digital curation needs.