Advancing Open, FAIR, and Responsible Science through the International Generic Sample Number

Research to address global environmental and societal challenges increasingly depends on the availability of large-scale, multidisciplinary datasets, making the need for robust systems that ensure data discoverability, accessibility, and interoperability evermore critical. However, having the data is not enough, one also needs to know about—and understand the connections among—related outputs and entities that support the veracity and reproducibility of the research.

The International Generic Sample Number (IGSN) is a persistent identifier (PID) for material samples arising from any research discipline. Originally developed in the Earth Sciences, the IGSN provides a vital component in solving the abovementioned challenges, enabling seamless integration of sample data across diverse platforms, disciplines, and organizational and geographic boundaries. By uniquely and permanently linking samples to their descriptions (provided as structured metadata), analytical results, and associated publications, IGSNs facilitate transparency, traceability, and reusability of material samples in line with the FAIR and CARE Principles. This is underpinned by the proven interoperability of the IGSN with the scientific communication infrastructure, which also enables citations of samples in the literature to be automatically captured.

This presentation will showcase the collaborative efforts of the IGSN Organization (IGSN e.V.) and DataCite to establish a resilient, cross-disciplinary, globally harmonized PID system for material samples. Use cases will illustrate how IGSNs enhance research workflows, enabling researchers to be more effective and attributed. We will also discuss governance, technical standards, and best practices that promote trust in the IGSN-DataCite partnership and scalability of sample PID adoption, aligning with UNESCO’s Open Science recommendations.