Building on the work initiated in 2016, the Global BioImaging Working Group on Image Data Management has expanded its horizons and geographical coverage and published a commentary in Nature Methods. Acknowledging that standardized data formats and public data resources are a critical next step for the fields of biological and biomedical imaging, the article presents criteria for globally applicable guidelines for open image data tools and resources in bioimaging. The next step is to drive adoption by all members of the scientific community, in particular funders and journals, who can mandate the use of open formats and data deposition as a condition of funding or acceptance of scientific publications. These recommendations can help catalyze the development and adoption of resources for open, accessible, reusable bioimaging data.

The full article can be accessed here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41592-021-01113-7