rrid

RRID stands for Research Resource Identification Initiative. It is a program that aims to improve the reproducibility of scientific research by providing stable, unique identifiers for key research resources. These resources include antibodies, cell lines, organisms, and software tools.

The primary goal of RRID is to ensure that researchers can accurately identify and cite the specific tools they use in their experiments. This is crucial because the performance and reliability of these resources can vary significantly, and using the wrong reagent or tool can lead to incorrect or irreproducible results. By assigning a persistent RRID to each resource, scientists can unambiguously refer to it, regardless of its manufacturer, catalog number, or specific batch.

RRID identifiers are used in scientific publications, grant proposals, and databases. They are intended to be a permanent and universal way to track and verify research resources. The initiative is supported by various funding agencies and scientific organizations. Researchers are encouraged to find and use RRIDs for their published work, and journals are increasingly requiring their inclusion in submitted manuscripts. This standardization helps build a more robust and reliable scientific ecosystem.