Wikipedia hosts human gene repository

U.S. scientists are developing a “Gene Wiki” with the aim of fostering a flexible, organic archive of human genetic information.

The project exists within Wikipedia, and is expected to speed up the process of deciphering genome sequences.

According to Andrew Su, whose report of the project appears this week in the scientific journal PLoS Biology, the researchers were emboldened to develop the Wiki by Wikipedia’s “Be Bold” ethos.

To speed up the development of the ‘Gene Wiki’, the researchers developed a computer program that downloads information from existing databases, formats it, and posts the information as a ‘stub’ article on Wikipedia.

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