Did you know that access to the “world’s most valued plant database” (Nature, 2009) is free for all teachers, historically black colleges and universities (HBCU), tribal colleges and universities (TCU), and institutions based in Research4Life countries?

The Arabidopsis Information Resource (TAIR) is a comprehensive online database of genetic and molecular biology data for Arabidopsis thaliana, a key model organism for plant science. Each year, over 3,000 research articles and 5,000 experiment-based annotations are added to the database, making it the most robust and current set of plant gene function data in existence. It contains the complete genome sequence, gene structures, products, and expression, genome maps, and markers.

TAIR is an indispensable resource for plant biology researchers worldwide, especially in plant genetics and genomics, evolutionary biology, and bioinformatics. The insight and inferences TAIR provides have been used in everything from developing drought- and disease-resistant crops to enhancing the nutritional value of food crops.

TAIR operates under the umbrella of the nonprofit organization Phoenix Bioinformatics, which is also home to other popular researcher-facing databases and analytical tools. Since 2013, a usage-based subscription fee has kept TAIR running strong, covering costs like development and capital improvements, storage and preservation costs, staffing, and daily operations. 

As part of the Phoenix Bioinformatics mission to advance science through sustainable high-quality digital research resources, the organization provides complimentary access  for teachers at non-subscribing institutions anywhere in the world, and for faculty, staff, and students at at historically black colleges and universities, tribal colleges and universities, and institutions in Research4Life countries. 

“Access to resources like TAIR is crucial to enabling  participation in research, and a key element of Phoenix’s subscription model is ensuring equitable access across institutions ” said Josh Young, executive director of Phoenix Bioinformatics.

To get access to TAIR for your institution, contact us at info [at] phoenixbioinformatics.org