Neuroscience Database Gateway

The Neuroscience Database Gateway (NDG) is a searchable, curated database of neuroinformatics resources on the internet. With support from NIH, the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) established the NDG in May 2004 in response to the findings of the Brain Information Group in 2003. The NDG came under the stewardship of the Society's newly formed Neuroinformatics Committee. Under the Neuroinformatics Committee, the NDG continued to grow from its initial 76 resources in May 2004 to over 100 resources in 2005.

The NDG is designed to be a one-stop resource for neuroscientists interested in using online databases and tools in their research. The project initially cataloged databases of experimental data and knowledge bases specific to neuroscience but has grown to include general bioinformatics resources, lists of links, and providers of research materials. All resources proposed for addition to the NDG are evaluated by Neuroinformatics Committee members based on the following selection criteria:

• Substantiality. The database should have a substantial content of data, knowledge, and/or tools that will be of interest to neuroscientists. Databases that are under development but do not yet meet this criterion will be deferred for future consideration.

• Neuroscience relevance. The database should emphasize neuroscience-relevant material. Databases that are not specifically neuroscience-related are evaluated for their suitability on a case-by-case basis.  A future version of the NDG may support a broader listing of biomedical databases and bioinformatics resources.

• Scientific objectivity. The database should emphasize objective data and knowledge content and avoid strongly opinionated material.

• Free accessibility.  The NDG does not list commercial databases.  Private databases whose contents are made available to neuroscientists on a case-by-case basis are suitable for listing on the NDG.

The Neuroinformatics Committee also envisions the NDG as an excellent vehicle for promoting interoperability of neuroscience databases and advancing development of the common terminologies needed to further the ability to search across databases.

Acknowledgments
Financial support for creation of the Neurosocience Database Gateway (NDG) was contributed by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (NINDS), and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).