Call for papers: Special issue of the Journal of Web Semantics: Life Science and e-Science

Call for papers

Special issue of the Journal of Web Semantics: Life Science and e-Science

 Introduction

Semantic technologies promoted by the W3C play an increasingly prominent role in how life sciences are performed. From ontologies that provide a common controlled vocabulary for describing data, to publication of data as Linked Open Data and its subsequent analysis. RDF and OWL are becoming the norm for interoperability of metadata and to some extent, data, between systems that can operate on the web. Increasingly large data sets are beginning to be tackled and made the subject of large data integration experiments. New models have been proposed that aim to capture trust and quality of data and experiments.

 In the life sciences, semantic web tools and paradigms have found their way into many aspects of bio- and health informatics, with exciting applications appearing in areas ranging from plant genetics to drug discovery. Semantic technologies are becoming ever more capable of enhancing research practices in the life sciences, and thus a cornerstone for e-Science in this domain. It is also in here that many of the issues that result from putting theory to practice are encountered, making life sciences a prime driver for testing out, applying, and developing semantic technologies and e-Science.


 To address the role that semantic technologies have come to play in enhancing the life sciences, and in turn acknowledging the role that this plays in maturing these technologies, we wish to publish a special issue of JWS containing novel research articles in this area. We welcome papers that demonstrate how semantic technologies enhance research, for instance by enabling intelligent search for new biological insights, or by enhancing digital research practices.


 Topics of particular interest are


Web tools based on semantic technologies that change how life scientists work (Semantic Web, Agents, Databases, High Performance reasoning, Web standards, etc.
Advancements in Life Science enabled by Web Semantics 
New ways of publishing data and methods (scholarly communication), including mechanisms of dissemination, organization, understanding and use of workflows, web services, data, and knowledge. 
Life science information management and interoperability
Knowledge discovery
Paradigm shifts in the life sciences that result from the adoption of new standards and practices.

Important dates


Paper submission deadline: July 31, 2013
Initial notification of acceptance (approximate): November 2013
Publication in early 2014



Guest editors

Tim Clark, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, University of Manchester

Marco Roos, Leiden University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, NBIC


Tim Clark
Director, Biomedical Informatics Core, Massachusetts General Hospital
Instructor in Neurology, Harvard Medical School
65 Landsdowne St., Suite 200, Cambridge MA 02139
ph: 1-617-947-7098 fax: 617-213-5418




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