SCRI has coordinated a pan-European project to collect all the existing data from experiments on gene flow. Gene flow is the movement of genes in space and time particularly relating to agricultural crops such as oilseed rape, maize and beet. These are the crops which are the subject of GM field trials.

We have now got 25 partners from all over Europe. All of them have agreed to supply detailed information including raw data in a form that can be ‘read’ by all the other partners. The various ‘data sets’ are checked and audited then made available for further working.

This means together we can make comparisons between countries. We can use ‘data mining’ techniques to find hidden patterns in really vast data sets. We can use modelling techniques and make predictions.

The general opinion is that data providers are comfortable with other people using their data because it makes the original effort more worthwhile and they get the chance for greater recognition.

The data users are happy because they get access to material that they would not normally get and in much more detail than is available in scientific publications.

The data sets range from studies in a field or plot for a few months to large scale ecological monitoring over several years.

The total effort goes towards a scientific basis for ecological biosafety assessments in the EU and beyond. In layperson’s language, ‘Will a specific crop type spread and cause a problem’.

This work will take several years to complete but if we get the right funding, we will carry on enlarging the data bank and will be able to make it more widely available to other scientists and technologists.

• It’s an example of Scotland taking a European lead! 
• SCRI is releasing value through aggregation.
• We are building partnerships.
• Our scientists are providing a model for wider use.
• And now we are making the public aware of the investment benefit.