If you've just started your bioinformatics journey, chances are you've downloaded a cancer dataset or an E. coli genome and called it a day. And honestly? No judgment - we've all been there.
But here's the thing - bioinformatics isn't one-size-fits-all. A metagenomics pipeline needs microbial community data. A pharmacogenomics project needs drug-gene interaction data. A network biology analysis needs interaction data. Using the same dataset for everything is like using a screwdriver for every tool in the box.
The good news? There's a ton of free, open, and actively maintained data out there - you just need to know where to look.
Here are 7 underrated databases that researchers actually use in published work, and that beginners almost never explore. 👇
| Database | Official URL | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MGnify (EMBL-EBI) | https://www.ebi.ac.uk/metagenomics/ |
| 2 | CARD | https://card.mcmaster.ca/ |
| 3 | BioGRID | https://thebiogrid.org/ |
| 4 | Open Targets Platform | https://platform.opentargets.org/ |
| 5 | Rfam | https://rfam.org/ |
| 6 | PharmGKB | https://www.pharmgkb.org/ |
| 7 | JASPAR | https://jaspar.genereg.net/ |