title: Towards interoperable reporting standards for omics data: hopes and hurdles.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As the size and complexity of scientific datasets and the corresponding information stores grow, standards for collecting, describing, formatting, submitting and exchanging information are playing an increasingly active role. Several initiatives occupy strategic positions in the international scenario, both within and across domains. However, the job of harmonising reporting standards is still very much a work in progress; both software interoperability and the data integration remain challenging as things stand.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The status quo with respect to standardization initiatives is summarized here, with particular emphasis on the motivation for, and the challenges of, ongoing synergistic activities amongst the academic community focused on the creation of truly interoperable standards.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Groups generating standards should engage with ongoing cross-domain activities to simplify the integration of heterogeneous data sets to the greatest possible extent.
authors.affiliation: European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK.
authors.forename: Susanna-Assunta
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Sansone
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rocca-Serra
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Field
authors.forename: Chris F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Weida
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brandizi
authors.forename: Eamonn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maguire
authors.forename: Nataliya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sklyar