The aim of the Genomic Standards Consortium (GSC) is to support the community-based development of a genomic standard that captures a richer set of information about complete genomes and metagenomic datasets.

The GSC is currently working together towards the "Minimum Information about a Genome Sequence" specification.

To promote discussion and support the capture of preliminary data an XML schema has been built from the checklist and implemented as the Genome Catalogue database.

The GSC is also working towards the development of controlled vocabularies for describing genomes and this work feeds into the OBI project (An Ontology for Biomedical Investigations).

The GSC is making an open call for new members to join the identified working groups dedicated to descriptions of different taxa (metagenomes, eukaryotes, prokaryotes, viruses, plasmids, and organelles) and concepts (Organism, Environment, Phenotype, Sample Processing, and Data Processing).

We are also soliciting the contribution of case studies from researchers willing to work with us to describe one or more genomes. The draft checklist for this specification is currently being circulated within the consortium.

Anyone interested in knowing more about, or joining, this effort is encouraged to contact us.