Is Sex Representation In Biological Research Experiments Adequately Funded?: A Study of the European Database CORDIS
Our project aims to address the critical issue of sex representation in biological research. Sex differences play a pivotal role in disease progression and treatment responses, yet female representation has long been neglected in scientific studies. Our hypothesis is that projects with higher funding are more likely to include both male and female subjects, as they can afford the additional costs associated with larger sample sizes. To test this hypothesis, we will analyze data from the Community Research and Development Information Service (CORDIS) database, focusing on projects funded under FP7 and Horizon 2020 programs. By employing a pre-trained BERT language model, we will quantitatively and qualitatively extract sex-related data from associated research publications. This comprehensive analysis spanning 14 years will assess sex representation in biological research and reveal any changes due to equity measures implemented by the European Commission sex representation due to equity measures implemented by the European Commission. Join our project at Biohackathon Germany 2023 and contribute to a more inclusive and equitable future for biological research
Data Platform Federated Human Data Sex and gender bias Biological data imbalance
Victoria Ruiz Serra [email protected] Beatriz Urda [email protected]
This initiative is tailored for a diverse audience, including ELIXIR data resource representatives such as designers, developers, and data miners. It is also aimed at computer scientists proficient in database skills, encompassing development and data management. Furthermore, researchers in computational biology with a strong programming background, individuals from social sciences with a keen interest in biomedicine and technology, and data scientists with substantial analytical and statistical knowledge will find valuable insights. Bioinformaticians well-versed in biological data resources, biostatisticians intrigued by bias and data mining, and researchers and practitioners in academic or industrial fields dedicated to social equity are all encouraged to engage with this initiative.
| Objectives | People | Useful links | |
|---|---|---|---|
| WG1 | Refine counts data to improve its quality | Olivier, Nuria, Claire | |
| WG2 | Comprehensive understanding of sex representation in EU-funded projects, considering various dimensions such as time, project categories, and funding sources | Miriam, Claire (support), Maria F., Sara, Vicky (support), Bea (support) | CORDIS |
| WG3 | Comprehensive understanding of sex representation in EU-funded projects, considering impact factor and gender of authors dimensions | Maria M., Hira, Othmane (support) | |
| WG4 | Understand the content of CORDIS publications by analyzing MeSH terms.Investigate the relationship between MeSH terms, sex representation, and funding sources, considering both temporal and regulatory dimensions. | Othmane, Iria, Bea, Vicky | MeSH script |
| WG5 | Comparative analysis of funding schemes regarding sex representation in European vs. other countries or continents such as the US. | Vero, Guillermo, Vicky (support) | RePORTER |