The database should have an associated web site for access by internal researchers working on atlas construction and quite likely a separate Web site for public access to published datasets.
Need for web site access by internal researchers vs web-based public access to published datasets
The initial inputs for deriving quantitative information of gene expression and embryonic morphology are raw image data, either of fluorescent proteins expressed in live embryos or of stained fluorescent markers in fixed material. These raw images are then analyzed by computational algorithms that extract features, such as cell location, cell shape, and gene product concentration. Ideally, the extracted features are then recorded in a searchable database, an atlas, that researchers from many groups can access. Building a database with quantitative graphical and visualization tools has the advantage of allowing developmental biologists who lack specialized skills in imaging and image analysis to use their knowledge to interrogate and explore the information it contains.
1) Initial input is raw image data 2) feature extraction on raw image data 3) extracted features stored in shared, searchable database 4) database available to researchers from many groups 5) quantitative graphical and visualization tools allow access to those without specialized skill in imaging and image analysis
He laid the philosophical groundwork back in 2008, in an essay entitled "Guerilla Open Access Manifesto."
Aaron Schwartz's essay: http://cryptome.org/2013/01/swartz-open-access.htm
Meeting Venue
Internet access is not suitable for digital natives like us.