Lambda BER Schema

Organizing Structural Biology Data

The Challenge

Structural biologists use many different techniques:

• Cryo-EM - Freezing and imaging proteins
• X-ray Crystallography - Analyzing protein crystals
• SAXS/WAXS - X-ray scattering experiments
• SANS - Neutron scattering experiments

Each technique generates different data formats and uses different tools.

The Solution

lambda-ber-schema provides a common way to describe data from all these techniques.

Think of it as a shared vocabulary for structural biology experiments.

What It Captures

From sample to final structure, we track:

• Samples: What you're studying (proteins, complexes, etc.)
• Preparation: How you prepared it
• Instruments: What equipment you used
• Experiments: How you collected data
• Processing: How you analyzed the data
• Results: Images and files produced

Why This Matters

Better organization → Find your data easily

Better collaboration → Share data with colleagues

Better reproducibility → Others can understand and repeat your work

Better integration → Combine results from different techniques

Example: A Cryo-EM Study

1. Start with a protein sample (TFIID complex)
2. Prepare it on a cryo-EM grid
3. Collect images on a Titan Krios microscope
4. Process the data to get a 3D structure
5. All steps are documented in a standard format

What Makes It Unique

• Multi-technique: Works across all major structural biology methods
• Complete workflow: Captures the entire experimental pipeline
• Standardized: Uses consistent terms and formats
• Flexible: Adapts to different experimental designs

Data Organization

Study
  ├── Sample information
  ├── How it was prepared
  ├── Instruments used
  ├── Experiments performed
  ├── Data processing workflows
  └── Output files and images

Everything in one place, consistently described.

Real-World Example

Berkeley Lab studying TFIID protein complex:

• Sample: TFIID in buffer solution
• Technique: Cryo-electron microscopy
• Instrument: Titan Krios microscope
• Output: 3D reconstruction of the complex

All metadata captured in a structured, searchable format.

Use Cases

Data Repositories: Submit data to archives

Lab Notebooks: Document your experiments

Collaborative Projects: Share data within teams

Integrative Studies: Combine multiple techniques

Benefits for Researchers

• Spend less time organizing data
• Make your work more discoverable
• Enable better collaboration
• Facilitate data reuse
• Support reproducible science

Project Resources

• GitHub Repository: Complete schema and examples
• Documentation: Guides and specifications
• Examples: Real-world datasets
• Community: Open for contributions

Future Directions

• Support for more imaging techniques
• Integration with major data repositories
• Enhanced quality metrics
• Community-driven improvements

Get Involved

We welcome:

• Feedback from the community
• Example datasets
• Feature requests
• Contributions

See our GitHub repository for more details.

Questions?

lambda-ber-schema: Making structural biology data easier to manage and share

Thank you!