Structural and computational biologists frequently work with complex data sets assembled from diverse experimental sources, public resources, and analysis methods. Archiving and mining these data sets with their complicated interrelationships remains a persistent challenge, particularly with “open science” initiatives to make entire workflows, including all raw and intermediate data, available with publications.
To address these needs, we have developed EMEN2, an object-oriented scientific database and electronic notebook. EMEN2 uses a flexible schema based on plain text descriptions of experimental protocols. Investigators can use standard protocols shared throughout the community, or local, private protocols used in their lab. While originally developed to serve the needs of the cryo-EM community, we believe EMEN2’s architecture provides an excellent foundation for many other scientific endeavors.
You can read about EMEN2 in the manuscript: Rees, I., Langley, E., Chiu, W., & Ludtke, S.J. (2013). EMEN2: an object oriented database and electronic lab notebook. Microsc Microanal 19, 1-10
For more information, please see the EMEN2 wiki: http://blake.bcm.edu/emanwiki/EMEN2