Data Management in Life Sciences

A special issue of Data (ISSN 2306-5729).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 11

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: data management; bioinformatics; databases; genomics; metagenomics; sensitive data; health infrastructures

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The increasing volume and complexity of scientific data have made effective data management a cornerstone of reproducible, collaborative, and impactful research. This Special Issue aims to explore current advances in data management practices, with particular focus on interoperability, metadata quality, and the implementation of FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles. Close attention will be paid to tools and frameworks that address challenges across the data lifecycle, from acquisition and curation to sharing and reuse.

As regulations around privacy, ethics, and data protection become more rigorous—especially with regard to human and sensitive data—there is a growing demand for data infrastructures that are not only technically robust, but also legally and ethically compliant. This evolving landscape presents both challenges and opportunities: managing access and consent with care, while enabling responsible innovation through federated access models and secure data governance.

We welcome contributions presenting practical solutions, case studies, and policy-aware systems with demonstrable real-world impact in the fields of life sciences, health, environmental research, and beyond. Researchers, data stewards, and infrastructure developers, particularly those engaged in large-scale, cross-border initiatives, are all eligible to participate. Together, we aim to showcase how careful, standards-driven data management can drive scientific excellence in a sensitive, secure, and scalable manner. 

Dr. Jorge dos Santos Oliveira
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Data is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • data management
  • FAIR principles
  • metadata standards
  • sensitive data handling
  • federated data access
  • data governance
  • interoperability
  • data stewardship
  • reproducible research
  • research data infrastructures

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
Back to TopTop