Fundamentals of Scientific Metadata - for Health

07.07.2026 – 08.07.2026

Structured metadata plays a central role in enabling transparent, interoperable, and reusable research data. In many research workflows, metadata provides the context that allows datasets to be interpreted, shared, and reused beyond their original project.

This course introduces the core principles of scientific metadata and explains how structured, machine-readable metadata supports research quality and visibility. Participants will gain both conceptual understanding and practical orientation in metadata frameworks and JSON-based annotation.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

  • explain the role of structured metadata in research quality and reuse

  • describe how metadata frameworks support FAIR data principles

  • create basic machine-readable metadata records using JSON

Target Group
This course is designed for researchers within Helmholtz Hub Health. It is particularly relevant for PhD students, early-career researchers, and postdoctoral researchers working with research datasets.

Prerequisites
No prior knowledge is required.

At a Glance
• Date: 7–8 July 2026
• Time: 9:00 AM–12:00 PM (CEST)
• Format: Online (Zoom)
• Trainer: Hamideh Haghiri, HMC Hub Health – German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
• Registration: https://events.hifis.net/event/3626

The course was originally developed by HMC Hub Information for scientific staff in the Helmholtz research field Information. Due to its broad scope and accessible examples, it is now open to members of all scientific fields interested in research data annotation through metadata. Course material from the original version is also available via The Carpentries Incubator.

Joint HIDS Course Portfolio
Selected HMC trainings are part of the joint HIDS Course Portfolio within the Helmholtz Information & Data Science Framework (HIDS). The portfolio is jointly organized by its five platforms Helmholtz AI, HMC, Helmholtz Imaging, HIDA, and HiFIS. It provides structured learning pathways across all experience levels and is free of charge for Helmholtz employees. All courses are held in English.

Further information and the full course overview are available in the HIDS Data Course Portfolio and all HMC courses via the HMC training overview page.