Registering subjects of which samples are taken

[jjkoehorst]

When for example sampling 120 chickens each with its own unique identifier and additional information it could become a bit confusing on where to register what in the SEEK platform.

For example you can register the organism chicken as a global entity but each individual chicken currently has to be registered as a sample. Of these chickens (which are samples) actual samples are taken and registered in the platform as samples of samples.

Ideally it would be nice to have a level between Organism and Sample which would then create the following:

Chicken (Organism) > Chicken1 (Observation Unit) > Sample 1
Chicken (Organism) > Chicken1 (Observation Unit) > Sample 2
Chicken (Organism) > Chicken2 (Observation Unit) > Sample 1

I mentioned Observation Unit as I encountered this in the MIAPPE standard which describes it as followed:

Observation units are objects that are subject to instances of observation and measurement.
An observation unit comprises one or more plants, and/or their environment.
There can be pure environment observation units with no plants. Synonym: Experimental unit.

Not sure if there are better solutions but from a user perspective I think its rather confusing to have samples which are actually animals, bioreactors or other kinds of entities.

[alaninmcr]

This might be a documentation issue

[alaninmcr]

@floradanna will demo to @jjkoehorst

[floradanna]

Yes, if it is still relevant. DataHub is implementing ISA specifications:

• Each "Chicken1 (Observation Unit)" is "Study Source material" in ISA and, in DataHub, it is a SEEK sample associated with one Study. In DataHub, "organism/species" is one of the sample attributes.
• Each "Sample 1" is "Study Sample material" in ISA and, in DataHub, it is another SEEK sample linked to one or more "Chicken1 (Observation Unit)"
• Whatever comes from "Sample 1" is another SEEK sample(s) linked to "Sample 1", according to ISA specifications.