Task group on biodiversity data for human diseases concludes work, delivers data publishing guide

The GBIF task group on mobilization and use of biodiversity data for research and policy on human diseases has concluded its second and final term, delivering major advances in the accessibility and use of biodiversity data to inform global responses to vector-borne diseases.

"The work of the task group has been instrumental in changing the awareness and perception of biodiversity data accessible via GBIF among the community of vector-borne disease and One Health specialists" said Lindsay Campbell, current task group chair. "It is anticipated that the momentum from these efforts will continue to translate into cross-disciplinary connections, resulting in new vector datasets being made openly accessible and discoverable."

The GBIF Science Committee established the task group in 2020 to enhance data mobilization aimed at informing research, policy and management on zoonotic diseases. The group aligned its work with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) call for a multisectoral approach in its Global vector control response 2017–2030. This approach corresponds to the agreements between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH, formerly OIE) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) to strengthen cooperation to promote One Health.

Chaired in its last term by Lindsay Campbell and coordinated by Paloma Shimabukuro, supported by Dmitry Schigel and Kate Ingenloff from the GBIF Secretariat, the second term of the task group brought together experts from 11 institutions across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas between February 2024 and June 2025. During its 16-month term, the group fulfilled the six objectives of its charter, the final being the release of the community-reviewed Guide on publishing data on disease vectors, hosts and pathogens through biodiversity data platforms.

Other key deliveries from the task group include:

• Launching a third global call for vector data papers in collaboration with TDR, hosted by the World Health Organization and GigaScience Press, which prompted submissions from four continents and a growing collection of data papers
• Delivering targeted training sessions focused on mapping arthropod vector datasets to Darwin Core standards at the West Africa Aedes Surveillance Network meeting in Ghana
• Working to increase the number of records and improve taxonomic and geographic coverage of the data shared to GBIF from VectorBase
• Providing open and transparent recommendations for identifying priority taxa, datasets and regions for mobilization efforts through the GBIF Health GitHub repository
• Developing downloadable tutorials for formatting and using GBIF-mediated mosquito occurrence data, which was presented in a GBIF Technical Support Hour for Nodes event
• Representing GBIF at key global forums, including International Congress for Tropical Medicine and Malaria 2024 (Malaysia), Belgian One Health 2025 (Belgium), and upcoming Datos Vivos 2025 (Colombia)
• Supporting the creation of an online dashboard for tracking invasive mosquito species that integrates data from GBIF, VectorBase, MosquitoAlert and other sources

"Building on the 2020 foundations and achievements, the task group has begun to pave the way toward seamless integration of biodiversity and human disease data within One Health frameworks," said Paloma Helena Fernandes Shimabukuro, Manager of Biological Materials and Technological Services, Biodiversity and Health Biobank, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz/FIOCRUZ. "The newly published guide for FAIR compliant publication of vectors, hosts and pathogens data directly supports global health research by reducing data sharing barriers and contributing to preparedness, surveillance and collaborative epidemic response."

The task group’s work has strengthened the role of biodiversity data in global health policy and research. As the group concludes its formal work, its outputs will continue to support capacity building and data mobilization efforts on vector-borne diseases.

Final report: Task group on mobilization and use of biodiversity
data for research and policy on human diseases

Task group members

Past task group members

GBIF Secretariat coordination