The FAIRsharing Team, contact@fairsharing.org
FAIRsharing Subject Ontology (SRAO)
SRAO is a hierarchy of academic disciplines that draws from the re3data subject list as well as importing terms from 7 publicly-available ontologies. This hierarchy covers all of the humanities and natural sciences and, where external vocabularies could not be found, SRAO classes were created. The initial hierarchy and class set came from FAIRsharing user requirements. Additional classes have been drawn from the following sources: 1. the re3data subject categories as listed at http://www.re3data.org/browse/by-subject/ 2. NCIT (http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/978-1-60750-949-3-33, CC BY 4.0) 3. the EDAM Topic hierarchy as available at http://edamontology.org (http://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/btt113, CC BY-SA 4.0) 4. AgroVoc (http://agrovoc.uniroma2.it/agrovoc/agrovoc/en/, CC BY 3.0 IGO) 5. OMIT (https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0100855 and https://doi.org/10.1186/s13326-016-0064-2, CC BY 3.0) 6. OBI (https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0154556, CC BY 3.0) 7. PO (http://www.plantontology.org/, CC BY 4.0) 8. UAT: (https://astrothesaurus.org/, CC BY 3.0 Unported) Modifications to the hierarchy have been performed to aid usability within FAIRsharing as well as to aid ontology alignment and merging. Additional definitions and annotations have also been incorporated by the FAIRsharing Team. Originally developed for use within FAIRsharing.org Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
The official definition, explaining the meaning of a class or property. Shall be Aristotelian, formalized and normalized. Can be augmented with colloquial definitions.
term editor
An alternative name for a class or property which means the same thing as the preferred name (semantically equivalent)
definition source
re3data alternative term
EDAM alternative term
OMIT alternative term
NCIT alternative term
AgroVoc alternative term
AgroPortal alternative term
PO alternative term
OBI alternative term
Food Security is the area of research concerned with physical and economic access, by all people at all times, to the basic food they need.
Allyson Lister, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7702-4495
AgroVoc, AL 19.6.2019
AgroVoc
AL 16.5.2019: Added additional parent of 'Agricultural Economics' as per https://github.com/FAIRsharing/subject-ontology/issues/31
Food Security
Hydrogeology is the subfield of Geology that is concerned with the study of water on or below the surface of the earth.
Adapted from OED, AL 19.6.2019
re3data
AL: 11.4.2019 Refactored 'Hydrogeology, Hydrology, Limnology, Urban Water Management, Water Chemistry, Integrated Water Resources Management' and its hierarchy into: 'Hydrology' with child 'Hydrogeology'; 'Limnology'; and 'Water Management' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. Please note we do not currently require the 'Water Chemistry' subdomain. Hydrology and Limnology had previously been refactored out of this class, and now the class has been completely refactored to create one class per concept.
Hydrogeology
Linguistics is the scientific study of language and its structure.
OED
Linguistics
Cartography is the art and science of the production of maps. This includes the construction of projections, design, compilation, drafting and reproduction. [AgroVoc]
AL: 8.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Geodesy, Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing, Geoinformatics, Cartogaphy' into parent class 'Geoinformatics' and child classes 'Geodesy', 'Photogrammetry', 'Remote Sensing' and 'Cartography' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Cartography
Forest Management is a branch of forestry concerned with overall administrative, economic, legal, and social aspects, as well as scientific and technical aspects, such as silviculture, protection, and forest regulation. This includes management for aesthetics, fish, recreation, urban values, water, wilderness, wildlife, wood products, forest genetic resources, and other forest resource values. Management can be based on conservation, economics, or a mixture of the two.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_management, 1.4.2019
AL: 10.4.2019 Refactored 'Inventory Control and Use of Forest Resources' into 'Forest Management' to simplify the term according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. Please note we do not currently require the 'Inventory Control' subdomain.
Forest Management
Plant Nutrition is the science of plant nutrients and their relation to plant health and disease. [AgroVoc, AL 17.6.2019]
Plant Nutrition
Civil Engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of works of public utility, especially those relating to social infrastructure.
OED, AL 08.05.18
Civil Engineering
Farming System Research is an approach designed to generate relevant technologies for specific clients, most commonly, the resource-limited farm households. It focuses on clients' priority needs and problems, applies an inter-disciplinary systems perspective in diagnosing problems and generating technological solutions, and involve a series of operational activities carried out on farm with farmers. Although descriptions of Farming Systems Research vary, the general consensus is that there are four major activities: diagnosis, planning and priority setting, experimentation and evaluation. The activities incorporated under farming systems research range from computer models simulating small-scale farm systems to integrated rural development strategies, and from complex experiment station trials of cropping systems to simple on-farm testing of technologies. [AgroVoc, AL 14.5.2019]
AL 14.5.2019: Originally this was an AgroPortal Category ('Farms and Farming Systems'), and the original label has been retained as an AgroPortal synonym. However, the AgroVoc term better fits FAIRsharing curation best practices and has been chosen instead.
Farming Systems Research
Plant Cultivation is the practice of growing and nurturing plants outside of their wild habitat (i.e., in gardens, nurseries, arboreta). [Adapted from https://www.eionet.europa.eu/gemet/en/concept/1899, AL 12.6.2019]
Cultivation
AL 6.3.18: re3data placement of Plant Cultivation is as a direct child of Agriculture. However, to align with the introduction of the Agronomy term from AgroVoc, Plant Cultivation has moved under Agronomy.
Plant Cultivation
Agriculture is the science, art, or practice of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock and in varying degrees the preparation and marketing of the resulting products.
AgroVoc http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_203, AL 12.6.2019
Agriculture
Agronomy is the science of crop production and soil management. [AgroVoc, AL 19.6.2019]
AL 6.3.18: Placement of Agronomy follows the AgroVoc hierarchy.
Agronomy
Econometrics is the application of mathematics and statistics to the study of economic and financial data.
AL: 10.4.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Statistics and Econometrics' into 'Econometrics' and added a parent term of 'Statistics' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Econometrics
Economics is the branch of social science that deals with the production and distribution and consumption of goods and services and their management).
AgroVoc, AL 12.6.2019
Economics
Geochemistry is defined as the study of the processes that control the abundance, composition, and distribution of chemical compounds and isotopes in geologic environments. [Adapted from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/geochemistry and https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-803350-0.00001-5, AL 2.4.2019]
AL: 8.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Crystallography' into sibling classes 'Geochemistry' and 'Mineralogy' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. 'Crystallography' is more suited to DRAO. Placement within the hierarchy follows re3data (where the parent is 'Earth Science') and more precisely places it as a child of 'Geology' according to FAIRsharing best practices.
Geochemistry
Animal Physiology is the study of the normal processes and metabolic functions of animal organisms.
Adapted from http://linkeddata.ge.imati.cnr.it:2020/resource/page/EARTh/100250, AL 12.6.2019
AL: 25.9.17 Changed re3data label from "Biochemistry and Animal Physiology" to "Animal Physiology" as these are two distinct disciplines. The Biochemistry discipline is positioned according to both the re3data and EDAM hierarchies.
Animal Physiology
Plant Physiology is concerned with the study of the function and chemical reactions within the various organs of plants. [Adapted from GEMET https://www.eionet.europa.eu/gemet/en/concept/6316, AL 12.6.2019]
Plant Physiology
Ergonomics is the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance.
Human Factors
https://www.iea.cc/whats/index.html, 28.3.2019
AL: 4.4.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Human Factors, Ergonomics, Human-Machine Systems' into sibling classes 'Ergonomics' and 'Human-Machine Systems Engineering' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Ergonomics
Animal Nutrition is the science of feeds and their nutrients, their relation to animal health and disease; for providing feeds to animals use.
AgroVoc, AL 28.3.19
AL: 10.4.2019 Refactored 'Animal Nutrition and Nutrition Physiology' into 'Animal Nutrition' to simplify the term according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. Please note we do not currently require the 'Nutrition Physiology' subdomain.
Animal Nutrition
Agricultural Law is the study of the special laws and regulations that apply to the production and sale of agricultural products. It deals with such legal issues as agricultural infrastructure, seed, water, fertilizer, pesticide use, agricultural finance, agricultural labour, agricultural marketing, agricultural insurance, farming rights, land tenure and tenancy system and law on agricultural processing and rural industry. With implementation of modern technologies, issues including credit, intellectual property, trade and commerce related to agricultural products are dealt within the sphere of this law.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_law, AL 23.5.18
Agricultural Law
Economic Policy covers the systems for setting levels of taxation, government budgets, the money supply and interest rates as well as the labour market, national ownership, and many other areas of government interventions into the economy. Most factors of economic policy can be divided into either fiscal policy, which deals with government actions regarding taxation and spending, or monetary policy, which deals with central banking actions regarding the money supply and interest rates.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_policy, 2.4.2019
AL: 21.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Economic and Social Policy' into sibling classes 'Economic Policy' and 'Social Policy' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Economic Policy
Fisheries Science is the academic discipline of managing and understanding fisheries. It is a multidisciplinary science, which draws on the disciplines of limnology, oceanography, freshwater biology, marine biology, conservation, ecology, population dynamics, economics and management to attempt to provide an integrated picture of fisheries. [Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisheries_science, AL 23.5.18]
Fisheries Science
Geodesy is the science of accurately measuring and understanding three fundamental properties of the Earth: its geometric shape, its orientation in space, and its gravity field— as well as the changes of these properties with time. [Adapted from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/geodesy.html, AL 8.5.2019]
Geodesy
Geophysics is the branch of science concerned with the physics of the earth and the processes which affect it; the application of the principles, methods, and techniques of physics to the study of the earth, esp. the crust. [Adapted from OED, AL 12.6.2019]
Geophysics
Logistics Engineering is a field of engineering dedicated to the scientific organization of the purchase, transport, storage, distribution, and warehousing of materials and finished goods.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logistics_engineering, 3.4.2019
Logistics
AL: 4.4.2019 Refactored re3data composite label 'Traffic and Transport Systems, Logistics' into 'Logistics Engineering' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Logistics Engineering
Environmental Science is a broad interdisciplinary field in which ecologists work with other physical, chemical, and biological researchers to study and seek solutions to environmental problems. Environmental science focuses on the environment and how humans can manage and utilise its resources and the effects our actions have on the environment.
Adapted by AL from https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-main-differences-between-ecology-and-environmental-science and https://blog.oup.com/2012/05/its-ecology-not-environmental-science/ 26.6.18
Environmental Sciences
AL 5.6.2019: The label was modified from plural to singular according to FAIRsharing best practises.
Environmental Science
Horticulture is the research area concerned with the cultivation or management of gardens, including the growing of flowers, fruits, and vegetables. [Adapted from OED, AL 19.6.2019]
Horticulture
Hydraulic Engineering as a sub-discipline of civil engineering is concerned with the flow and conveyance of fluids, principally water and sewage.
Peter McQuilton
Wikipedia, PAM 27.02.2018
AL 23.5.18: The original "Geotechnics, Hydraulic Engineering" class from re3data has been split into "Geotechnics" and "Hydraulic Engineering". Removal of compound terms aligns with FAIRsharing best practices.
Hydraulic Engineering
Hydrology is the scientific study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the water cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability. [AgroVoc, 28.3.2019]
Hydrology
Urban Planning is the planning and regulation of building, development, reconstruction, etc., in an urban area.
Oxford English Dictionary, AL 08.05.18
AL 23.5.18: The original "Urbanism, Spatial Planning, Transportation and Infrastructure Planning, Landscape Planning" class from re3data has been split into "Urban Planning", "Transportation Planning" and "Landscape Planning". Urbanism and Spatial Planning have been consolidated into a single class as it provides an appropriate level of detail for FAIRsharing users. Removal of compound terms aligns with FAIRsharing best practices.
Urban Planning
Animal Breeding is a branch of Agriculture that addresses the controlled improvement of selected characteristics of livestock. [Adapted from AgroVoc and Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_breeding, 1.4.2019]
AL: 10.4.2019 Refactored 'Animal Husbandry, Breeding and Hygiene' into parent 'Animal Husbandry' and child 'Animal Breeding' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. Please note we do not currently require the 'Animal Hygiene' subdomain.
Animal Breeding
Life Science is the study of all of the divisions of the natural sciences dealing with the various aspects of the phenomena of life and vital processes.
Adapted from AgroVoc, AL 6.6.2019
Life Sciences
Life Science
Limnology is the study of the physical, chemical, hydrological, and biological aspects of fresh water bodies. [AgroVoc 28.3.19]
Limnology
Mechanical Engineering applies the principles of engineering, physics and materials science to the design, analysis, manufacture and maintenance of mechanical systems.
Adapted from Quora, PAM 27.02.2018
AL 24.5.18: The original "Mechanical and industrial Engineering" class from re3data has been split into "Mechanical Engineering" and "Industrial Engineering". Removal of compound terms aligns with FAIRsharing best practices.
Mechanical Engineering
Mineralogy is a subfield of Geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifacts. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization. [Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineralogy, AL 2.4.2019]
Mineralogy
Acoustics is the branch of physics concerned with the properties and phenomena of sound, sometimes esp. in relation to hearing or speech.
OED, AL 14.5.2019
Acoustics
Plant Genetics is the scientific study of the hereditary material of plants for purposes such as hybridization, improved food resources and increased production. [GEMET https://www.eionet.europa.eu/gemet/en/concept/6307, AL 12.6.2019]
AL: 28.9.17 'Plant Genetics' is asserted as a child of Botany within re3data, and as a child of Genetics within FAIRsharing.
Plant Genetics
Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms in both coastal and inland areas involving interventions in the rearing process to enhance production.[Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) http://www.fao.org/aquaculture/en/, AL 23.5.18]
Aquaculture
Photogrammetry is the technique of using photographs to ascertain measurements of what is photographed, esp. in surveying and mapping. [OED]
Photogrammetry
Physical Geography is the branch of geography concerned with the natural features of the earth, as distinct from its political divisions, economic activity, etc. [OED, AL 12.6.2019]
Physiography
Physical Geography
Plant Breeding is the research area concerned with raising a certain type of plant by crossing one variety with another to produce a new variety where the desired characteristics are strongest. [GEMET https://www.eionet.europa.eu/gemet/en/concept/6298, AL 12.6.2019]
Plant Breeding
Plant Ecology is a subdiscipline of Ecology which studies the distribution and abundance of plants, the effects of environmental factors upon the abundance of plants, and the interactions among and between plants and other organisms.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_ecology, 3.4.2019
AL: 10.4.2019 Refactored 'Plant Ecology and Ecosystem Analysis' into 'Plant Ecology' to simplify the term according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. Please note we do not currently require the 'Ecosystem Analysis' subdomain.
Plant Ecology
Public Finance is the theory and practice of governmental money matters, including taxation, spending, transfer and property incomes, borrowing, debt and revenue management.
GEMET https://www.eionet.europa.eu/gemet/en/concept/6793. AL 18.6.2019
Public Finance
Remote Sensing is the acquisition of information about an object or phenomenon without making physical contact with the object and thus in contrast to on-site observation, especially the Earth. Remote sensing is used in numerous fields, including geography, land surveying and most Earth Science disciplines as well as military, intelligence, commercial, economic, planning, and humanitarian applications. [Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_sensing, AL 2.4.2019]
Remote Sensing
Rural and Agricultural Sociology is a field of sociology traditionally associated with the study of social structure and conflict in rural areas and agricultural settings. The sociology of food and agriculture is one focus of rural sociology, and much of the field is dedicated to the economics of farm production. Other areas of study include rural migration and other demographic patterns, environmental sociology, amenity-led development, public lands policies, so-called "boomtown" development, social disruption, the sociology of natural resources (including forests, mining, fishing and other areas), rural cultures, and identities, rural health care, and educational policies.
Adapted from http://dbpedia.org/page/Rural_sociology, AL 9.4.2019
User request
AL 3.7.2019: This 'composite term' (a class describing multiple concepts) is a standard conflation within this research area and is therefore retained. This is in contrast with the general rule within FAIRsharing to refactor composite terms.
Rural and Agricultural Sociology
Atmospheric Science is the study of the dynamics and chemistry of the layers of gas that surround the Earth, other planets and moons. This encompasses the interactions between various parts of the atmosphere as well as interactions with the oceans and freshwater systems, the biosphere and human activities. [Nature https://www.nature.com/subjects/atmospheric-science, AL 20.05.2019]
Atmospheric Science
Social Anthropology is the study of human societies where the culture and its continuity (including narratives, rituals, and symbolic behavior associated with them) are seen as a dependent variable, embedded in its historical and social context, rather than the independent variable. Social anthropology is the more common term in Britain, with Cultural Anthropology usually preferred in the United States, though these can also often describe different research areas. The terms tend to reflect a difference in emphasis between the two disciplines, with social anthropology emphasizing the organizational bases of societies and cultures, such as political systems, tribal kinship, and economic organization. In practice, the disciplines coincide in many respects.
Social and Cultural Anthropology and Ethnology/Folklore
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_anthropology and OED, AL 11.4.2019
AL: 11.4.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Non-European Languages and Cultures, Social and Cultural Anthropology, Jewish Studies and Religious Studies' and its children 'African, American and Oceania Studies', 'Asian Studies', 'Religious Studies and Jewish Studies', 'Islamic Studies, Arabian Studies, Semitic Studies', and 'Social and Cultural Anthropology and Ethnology/Folklore' into a completely reworked hierarchy of singular concepts according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Social Anthropology
Social policy is concerned with the ways societies across the world meet human needs for security, education, work, health and wellbeing. Social policy addresses how states and societies respond to global challenges of social, demographic and economic change, and of poverty, migration and globalisation. Social policy analyses the different roles of: national governments, the family, civil society, the market, and international organisations in providing services and support across the life course from childhood to old age.
LSE http://www.lse.ac.uk/social-policy/about-us/What-is-social-policy 2.4.2019
Social Policy
Soil Science is the study of the properties, occurrence, and management of soil as a natural resource. Generally it includes the chemistry, microbiology, physics, morphology, and mineralogy of soils, as well as their genesis and classification.
GEMET https://www.eionet.europa.eu/gemet/en/concept/7890, AL 12.6.2019
AL 12.6.2019: The label was modified from plural to singular according to FAIRsharing best practises.
AL 6.3.18: Placement of Soil Sciences is modified from the re3data hierarchy due to adjustments to align with the AgroVoc hierarchy. re3data placement is as a child of Agriculture, which has been further refined to Agronomy. AgroVoc places Soil Sciences as a child of Earth Sciences, which has been reproduced here.
Soil Science
Water Management is the activity of planning, developing, distributing and optimum use of water resources under defined water polices and regulations. It includes: management of water treatment of drinking water, industrial water, sewage or wastewater, management of water resources, management of flood protection, management of irrigation, and management of the water table. [Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Water_management, AL 28.3.2019]
Water Resource Management
Water Management
Animal Husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, eggs, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, selective breeding and the raising of livestock.
Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_husbandry, 1.4.2019
Animal Husbandry
Agricultural Economics is an applied social science that deals with the production, distribution, and consumption of agricultural or farming goods and services.
https://www.eionet.europa.eu/gemet/en/concept/193, AL 14.5.2019
AL: 14.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Agricultural Economics and Sociology' into 'Agricultural Economics' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Agricultural Economics
Agricultural Engineering is a discipline concerned with developing and improving the means for providing food and fiber for mankind's needs.
GEMET https://www.eionet.europa.eu/gemet/en/concept/195, AL 12.6.2019
AL: 14.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Agricultural and Food Process Engineering' into sibling classes 'Agricultural Engineering' and 'Food Process Engineering' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Agricultural Engineering
Knowledge and Information Systems create, share, and manage knowledge and information.
Adapted from Wikipedia, PAM 28.02.2018
AL 20.5.2019: This 'composite term' (a class describing multiple concepts) is a standard conflation within this research area and is therefore retained. This is in contrast with the general rule within FAIRsharing to refactor composite terms.
AL: 20.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Operating, Communication and Information Systems' by merging and aligning with its child class 'Knowledge and Information Systems' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. We already cover communications via 1) the inclusion of communications systems as part of this class, and 2) the prescence of Telecommunications Engineering. Further, Operating Systems has been deemed as not in scope for SRAO.
Knowledge and Information Systems
Agroecology is the study of ecological processes applied to agricultural production systems.
http://dbpedia.org/page/Agroecology, AL 12.6.2019
AL 9.11.2017: Added subClassOf Ecology axiom to allow users to find this subject both via the original re3data hierarchy and the additional EDAM hierarchy. Also added the URI and label from AGROVOC as it is preferred to the re3data label, which has become an alternative term.
Agroecology
Astrophysics is the study of the physics related to objects outside of the earth's atmosphere.
Baptiste Cecconi, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7915-5571
AAS https://aas.org/faq/what-exactly-astronomy, AL 20.2.2025
Astrophysics
Observational Astronomy is the study of everything outside of the earth's atmosphere and their chemical and physical properties via observational methods.
AAS https://aas.org/faq/what-exactly-astronomy, modified by AL 22.2.2025
UAT, https://astrothesaurus.org/
Planetary Astronomy is the branch of astronomy that deals with the science of planets, or planetary systems, and the solar system as a whole. Note that this term refers specifically to our solar system.
UAT, with modifications by AL 22.2.2025
Solar physics is a branch of astrophysics is a branch of astrophysics concerned with the study of the physical properties of the Sun based on the most detailed observations which can be obtained for a star.
An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics, by M. Heydari-Malayeri, via UAT, AL 22.2.25
AL 22.2.2025: Note that I have placed this as a child term of Astrophysics, although the UAT has it as a sibling term.
Solar System Astronomy is the branch of astronomy that deals with the science of the Sun, the solar system, and the natural bodies within the solar system as a whole.
Stellar Astronomy is the branch of astronomy that deals with the study of stars, their physical properties, formation, and evolution.
An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics, by M. Heydari-Malayeri, via UAT, AL 20.2.25.
Cosmology is the science of the origin, structure, and evolution of the Universe including the origin of galaxies, the chemical elements, and matter.
Delphine Dauga, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3152-1194
An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics, by M. Heydari-Malayeri, via UAT, AL 20.2.25
Cosmology
Exoplanet Astronomy is the astronomical study of planets outside of our solar system.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exoplanet, AL 20.2.25
Galactic and Extragalactic Astronomy is a broad subject area that encompasses both Extragalactic (beyond the Milky Way, especially galaxies and quasars) and Galactic (within the Milky Way) objects.
An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics, by M. Heydari-Malayeri, via UAT, with modifications by AL 20.2.25
High Energy Astrophysics is a branch of astrophysics that deals with objects emitting highly energetic radiation, such as X-ray astronomy, gamma-ray astronomy, and extreme ultraviolet astronomy, as well as neutrinos and cosmic rays.
An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics, by M. Heydari-Malayeri, via UAT, AL 21.2.25
The study of evolutionary relationships amongst organisms.
EDAM
AL: 29.9.17 Child of 'Computational biology' and 'Evolutionary biology', to align with the EDAM hierarchy.
Phylogeny
The study of gene or protein functions and their interactions in totality in a given organism, tissue, cell etc.
AL: 29.9.17 Child of 'Computational Biology' and 'Genomics', to align with the EDAM hierarchy. 'Functional Genomics' is asserted as a child of 'Function analysis' within EDAM, however this class has not been retained within FAIRsharing, and its parent term 'Computational Biology' is used instead.
Functional Genomics
Lipidomics is the study of the structure and function of the complete set of lipids (the lipidome) produced in a given cell or organism as well as their interactions with other lipids, proteins and metabolites.
Lindsey Anderson, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8741-7823
https://www.nature.com/subjects/lipidomics, AL 13.2.25
The integrated study of evolutionary relationships and whole genome data, for example, in the analysis of species trees, horizontal gene transfer and evolutionary reconstruction.
AL 25.9.17 Phylogenomics is asserted as a child of Phylogeny and 'Sequence Analysis' by EDAM, and as a child of Genomics within FAIRsharing. 'Sequence Analysis' is not a recognized discipline within FAIRsharing and therefore this assertion has not been retained.
Phylogenomics
The influence of genotype on drug response, for example by correlating gene expression or single-nucleotide polymorphisms with drug efficacy or toxicity.
AL: 25.9.17 Child of Pharmacology and Genomics, to align with the EDAM hierarchy.
Pharmacogenomics
The design and chemical synthesis of bioactive molecules, for example drugs or potential drug compounds, for medicinal purposes.
AL: 29.9.17 Child of 'Synthetic Chemistry' and 'Drug Discovery' to align with the EDAM hierarchy.
Medicinal Chemistry
The study and practice of information processing and use of computer information systems.
AL: 26.9.17 Informatics is asserted at the top level of the Topic hierarchy within EDAM. This assertion has been refined to 'Computer Science'.
Informatics
Organism classification, identification and naming.
Taxonomy
Plants, e.g. information on a specific plant genome including molecular sequences, genes and annotation.
AL: 28.9.17 Changed re3data label from 'Plant Sciences' to Botany to align with FAIRsharing terminology.
Botany
Study of viruses, e.g. sequence and structural data, interactions of viral proteins, or a viral genome including molecular sequences, genes and annotation.
AL: 25.9.17 [Updated AL 10.06.2019] Changed re3data label from 'Microbiology, Virology and Immunology' to 'Microbiology' as these are three distinct disciplines. All three disciplines have been removed from the Medicine hierarchy as listed by re3data. Microbiology has been asserted as a child of Biology according to NCIT and FAIRsharing curators. Virology has been asserted as a child of Microbiology to align with re3data, further refining the placement within EDAM. Immunology remains a child of Biomedical Science according to FAIRsharing curators, a modification both of the Medicine hierarchy as listed by re3data and the Biological Sciences as listed by NCIT.
Virology
The study (typically comparison) of the sequence, structure or function of multiple genomes.
Comparative Genomics
The application of information technology to chemistry in biological research environment.
AL 27.9.17 Cheminformatics is asserted as a child of Informatics by EDAM, and also as a child of Chemistry and Biology within FAIRsharing. This 'subClass of Bioinformatics' assertion is based on the definition of Cheminformatics as provided by EDAM: "The application of information technology to chemistry in biological research environment." However, this may need to be revisited at some point in the future.
Cheminformatics
The holistic modelling and analysis of complex biological systems and the interactions therein.
Systems Biology
The molecular basis of biological activity, particularly the macromolecules (e.g. proteins and nucleic acids) that are essential to life.
Molecular biology
The degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome or an entire planet.
AL: 16.5.2019 Refactored (through deletion) re3data composite class 'Animal Ecology, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research' by merging with existing classes 'Ecosystem Science', 'Biodiversity' and 'Ecology' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Biodiversity
The genes and genetic mechanisms such as Mendelian inheritance that underly continuous phenotypic traits (such as height or weight).
Child of Genomics to align with the EDAM hierarchy. EDAM further asserts this as a child of 'Genotype and Phenotype'. However, 'Genotype and Phenotype' is not a recognized discipline within FAIRsharing and therefore this assertion has not been retained. Instead, 'Quantitative Genetics' has also been asserted as the child of the parent term for 'Genotype and Phenotype', which is Genetics.
Quantitative Genetics
The distribution of allele frequencies in a population of organisms and its change subject to evolutionary processes including natural selection, genetic drift, mutation and gene flow.
Population Genetics
The development of organisms between the one-cell stage (typically the zygote) and the end of the embryonic stage.
Embryology
The form and function of the structures of living organisms.
Morphology
AL 09.10.23: Anatomy was present both as a child of Biomedical Science and Biology. Biomedical Science is also a child of Biology. For this reason, and because Anatomy is broader than humans, we removed the placement as a child of Biomedical Science (see https://github.com/FAIRsharing/subject-ontology/issues/76)
AL 14.5.2019: Synonym 'Morphology' was added upon the removal of the 'Systematics and Morphology' re3data class. 'Systematics and Morphology' was removed as the subject was already present via both Anatomy and Biological Systematics (via Phylogenetics).
AL: 25.9.17 Anatomy is asserted as a child of Biology by re3data, and as a child of Biomedical Science by EDAM. As both are correct depending on context, both assertions have been retained.
Anatomy
Data management comprises the practices and principles of taking care of data, other than analysing them. This includes for example taking care of the associated metadata, data formats, storage, preservation/archiving, access, and legal aspects related to using and sharing data.
AL: 29.9.17 Some disciplines within this sub-hierarchy are on the border of what FAIRsharing would consider a discipline. Some extra work in this section of the hierarchy may be needed in future.
Data Management
The systematic study of metabolites, the chemical processes they are involved, and the chemical fingerprints of specific cellular processes in a whole cell, tissue, organ or organism.
Metabolism
Metabolomics
The study of the epigenetic modifications of a whole cell, tissue, organism etc.
AL: 25.9.17 Child of Epigenetics and Genomics, to align with the EDAM hierarchy.
Epigenomics
The study of genetic material recovered from environmental samples, and associated environmental data.
Metagenomics
Chemical substances and physico-chemical processes and that occur within living organisms.
AL 25.9.17 Biochemistry is asserted as a child of Biology by both EDAM and re3data, and as a child of Chemistry by EDAM. This assertion has been refined to 'Biology and Biomimetic Chemistry'.
Biochemistry
The study of evolutionary relationships amongst organisms from analysis of genetic information (typically gene or protein sequences).
Biological Systematics
AL 14.5.2019: Synonym 'Biological Systematics' was added upon the removal of the 'Plant Systematics and Evolution' re3data class. 'Plant Systematics and Evolution' was removed as it was not in scope for FAIRsharing (the subject represented by this class would be better served by a broader concept of Systematics).
AL 25.9.17 Phylogenetics is asserted as a child of Phylogeny and 'Sequence Analysis' by EDAM, and as a child of Genetics within FAIRsharing. 'Sequence Analysis' is not a recognized discipline within FAIRsharing and therefore this assertion has not been retained.
Phylogenetics
The exploitation of biological process, structure and function for industrial purposes, for example the genetic manipulation of microorganisms for the antibody production.
Biotechnology
Phenomes, or the study of the change in phenotype (the physical and biochemical traits of organisms) in response to genetic and environmental factors.
AL 25.9.17 Child of 'Evolutionary Biology' and Omics to align with the EDAM hierarchy. EDAM further asserts this as a child of 'Genotype and Phenotype'. However, 'Genotype and Phenotype' is not a recognized discipline within FAIRsharing and therefore this assertion has not been retained.
Phenomics
The evolutionary processes, from the genetic to environmental scale, that produced life in all its diversity.
AL 1.5.2019: Refactored re3data class 'Evolution, Anthropology' into 'Evolutionary Biology' to better fit the hierarchy. Please note Anthropology is already an existing term within SRAO. The re3data label has been retained as a re3data alternative term for backwards compatibility.
Evolutionary Biology
The functions of living organisms and their constituent parts.
Physiology
The study of the nervous system and brain; its anatomy, physiology and function.
AL: 17.10.17 Neurobiology is asserted as a child of 'Biomedical Science' by EDAM and Neuro*science* as a child of Medicine by re3data. We have further refined the EDAM assertion and placed Neurobiology as a child of Neuroscience. Earlier versions of this class (from 28.9.17) had it synonymous with Neuroscience.
Neurobiology
The development and application of theory, analytical methods, mathematical models and computational simulation of biological systems.
AL: 27.9.17 'Computational biology' is asserted at the top level of the Topic hierarchy within EDAM. This assertion has been refined to Biology.
Computational Biology
The analysis of transcriptomes, or a set of all the RNA molecules in a specific cell, tissue etc.
Transcriptomics
The study of numbers (quantity) and other topics including structure, space, and change.
AL: 26.9.17 Mathematics is asserted as a child of 'Natural Sciences' by re3data, and is at the top level of the Topic hierarchy within EDAM.
Mathematics
The theory and practical use of computer systems.
AL 20.05.2019: 'Computer Science' is asserted as a child of 'Computer Science, Electrical and System Engineering' by re3data (which has now been simplified and removed, making this class a direct child of Engineering Science), and is at the top level of the Topic hierarchy within EDAM.
Computer Science
The study of matter, space and time, and related concepts such as energy and force.
AL: 26.9.17 Physics is asserted as a child of 'Natural Sciences' by re3data, and is at the top level of the Topic hierarchy within EDAM.
Physics
The structure and function of genes at a molecular level.
AL: 29.9.17 Child of 'Computational Biology' and Genetics, to align with the EDAM hierarchy.
Molecular Genetics
The discovery and design of drugs or potential drug compounds.
AL 29.9.17 Child of 'Medicines research and development' and Chemistry, to align with the EDAM hierarchy.
Drug Discovery
'translating' the output of basic and biomedical research into better diagnostic tools, medicines, medical procedures, policies and advice.
Translational Medicine
Any matter, surface or construct that interacts with a biological system.
AL: 25.9.17 Biomaterials is asserted as a child of 'Materials Science' by re3data, and as a child of Biotechnology by EDAM.
Biomaterials
The use of synthetic chemistry to study and manipulate biological systems.
AL: 25.9.17 Child of 'Synthetic Chemistry' and Biology to align with the EDAM hierarchy.
Chemical Biology
The study of the separation, identification, and quantification of the chemical components of natural and artificial materials.
Analytical Chemistry
The use of chemistry to create new compounds.
AL: 29.9.17 This class may be related to the re3data class 'Solid State and Surface Chemistry, Material Synthesis', and the placement of 'Synthetic Chemistry' may need to be revisited.
Synthetic Chemistry
The process of bringing a new drug to market once a lead compounds has been identified through drug discovery.
Drug Development
The process of formulating and administering a pharmaceutical compound to achieve a therapeutic effect.
Biotherapeutics
The study of organisms in the ocean or brackish waters.
AL: 27.9.17 'Marine Biology' is asserted as a child of Biology by EDAM. This assertion has been refined to 'Animal Ecology, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research'.
Marine Biology
The identification of molecular and genetic causes of disease and the development of interventions to correct them.
Molecular Medicine
The study of the effects of food components on the metabolism, health, performance and disease resistance of humans and animals. It also includes the study of human behaviours related to food choices.
Nutritional Science
The collective characterisation and quantification of pools of biological molecules that translate into the structure, function, and dynamics of an organism or organisms.
AL: 26.9.17 Omics is asserted at the top level of the Topic hierarchy within EDAM. This assertion has been refined to Biology.
Omics
An interdisciplinary field of study that looks at the dynamic systems of the human body as part of an integrted whole, incorporating biochemical, physiological, and environmental interactions that sustain life.
Systems Medicine
Topic concerning the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in animals.
Veterinary Medicine
The branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease in older people, and the problems specific to aging.
Geriatric Medicine
The prevention of pain and the evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation of persons in pain.
Pain Medicine
Anaesthesiology
The multidisciplinary that cares for patients with acute, life-threatening illness or injury.
AL: 16.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Pneumology, Clinical Infectiology Intensive Care Medicine' into 'Critical Care Medicine' (which was already in SRAO) according to FAIRsharing's remit and curation best practises.
Critical Care Medicine
The study, diagnosis, prevention and treatments of disorders of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and adjacent structures.
AL: 16.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Dentistry, Oral Surgery' into 'Dentistry' (which moved to be a direct child of Medicine) and 'Oral Surgery', which retains its position as a child of Surgery, according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Dentistry
The branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders of the ear, nose and throat.
Otolaryngology
The study of the biological and physiological differences between males and females and how they effect differences in disease presentation and management.
Gender Medicine
The branch of medicine that treats body wounds or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident.
AL: 16.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Traumatology and Orthopaedics' into sibling classes 'Traumatology' and 'Orthopaedics' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Traumatology
The branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, management and prevention of poisoning and other adverse health effects caused by medications, occupational and environmental toxins, and biological agents.
AL 9.10.23: Removed Medicine as a direct parent when it is already an indirect parent via Toxicology -> Pharmacology -> Medicine. See also https://github.com/FAIRsharing/subject-ontology/issues/80
AL: 28.9.17 'Medical Toxicology' is asserted as a child of Medicine by EDAM, and also as a child of Toxicology within FAIRsharing.
Medical Toxicology
The branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children and adolescents.
AL: 16.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine' by renaming it to 'Pediatrics' to align with EDAM and according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Pediatrics
Medical therapies that fall beyond the scope of conventional medicine but may be used alongside it in the treatment of disease and ill health.
Traditional Medicine
The application of mathematics to specific problems in science, typically by the formulation and analysis of mathematical models.
Applied Mathematics
The study of abstract mathematical concepts.
Pure Mathematics
Data governance is the control of data entry and maintenance to ensure the data meets defined standards, qualities, or constraints.
Data Stewardship
Data Governance
The study of organisms in freshwater ecosystems.
Freshwater Science
The study of inheritance in human beings.
AL: 29.9.17 'Human Genetics' is asserted as a child of Medicine by re3data, and as a child of Genetics by EDAM.
Human Genetics
Health problems that are prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions.
Tropical Medicine
Biotechnology applied to the medical sciences and the development of medicines.
Medical Biotechnology
An approach to medicine whereby decisions, practices and are tailored to the individual patient based on their predicted response or risk of disease.
Personalized Medicine
The ecology of microorganisms including their relationship with one another and their environment.
AL 27.9.17 'Microbial Ecology' is asserted as a child of Microbiology by both EDAM and re3data and as a child of Ecology by EDAM. The re3data label 'Microbial Ecology and Applied Microbiology' was split into 'Microbial Ecology' and 'Applied Microbiology'
Microbial Ecology
The study of microbe gene expression within natural environments (i.e. the metatranscriptome).
See also https://github.com/FAIRsharing/subject-ontology/issues/36
Metatranscriptomics
Data protection is a topic concerning data that should be protected from disclosure, damage, or unauthorised access, due to its sensitive nature.
A medical specialty concerned with diagnosis and treatment of lung disorders and other breathing problems.
NCIT
AL 20.5.20: Added as part of https://github.com/FAIRsharing/subject-ontology/issues/52
Respiratory Medicine
A surgical specialty that focuses on diagnosis and management of disorders of the arterial, venous and lymphatic systems, other than the intracranial vessels and the heart.
AL: 16.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Vascular and Visceral Surgery' into 'Vascular Surgery' according to FAIRsharing's requirements and curation best practises.
AL: 28.9.17 'Vascular and Visceral Surgery' is asserted as a child of Medicine by re3data, and has been further refined by FAIRsharing as a child of Surgery, a class originating in EDAM.
Vascular Surgery
A method of study that relates annotated genomic information to global protein expression in order to determine the relationship between genomic sequences and both expressed proteins and predicted peptide sequences; these studies can identify novel coding regions.
AL 12.12.17 Child of Bioinformatics (to align with NCIT) and also of Genomics, to align with FAIRsharing usage.
Proteogenomics
The condition of information that describes its credibility, authenticity, and appropriateness for its function. Important aspects include source recognition, accuracy, innovativeness, and information on changes to the data.
AL 12.6.2019: This class has been refactored from EDAM to NCIT to better align with FAIRsharing curation guidelines.
Data Quality
An investigation that tests a drug, procedure or medical treatment in animals to determine any toxic effects before trials can be carried out in humans.
AL: 16.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Preclinical and Clinical Studies' into sibling classes 'Preclinical Studies' and 'Clinical Studies' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Preclinical Studies
Research concerned with the application of biological and physiological principles to clinical medicine.
AL: 3.12.18 'Biomedical Research' is a child of 'Research Activity' within NCIT. This assertion has been modified to 'Life Sciences' as SRAO focuses more on the subject area rather than the research activity. There was no direct equivalent for this discipline within re3data.
Biomedical Science
Research conducted with human subjects or on material of human origin in which an investigator directly interacts with human subjects; includes development of new technologies, study of mechanisms of human diseases, therapy, clinical trials, epidemiologic, behavior, and health services research.
Clinical Studies
A multidisciplinary field of inquiry that examines the costs, quality, accessibility, delivery, organization, financing, and outcomes of health care services.
AL: 1.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Public Health, Health Services Research, Social Medicine' into the 'Public Health' class and parts of its hierarchy according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. Child terms from this refactoring are 'Social Medicine' and 'Health Services Research'.
Health Services Research
A method of treating disease, esp. psychic disorders, by mental rather than pharmacological means (e.g., suggestion, re-education, hypnotism, and psychoanalysis). (Taber's)
AL: 4.4.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Clinical Neurosciences II - Psychotherapy, Psychosomatic Medicine' into sibling classes 'Psychotherapy' and 'Psychosomatic Medicine' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Psychotherapy
A study of the complete set of glycans produced in a given cell or organism under specific conditions.
Glycomics
The branch of science concerned with origin and development of humans in all their physical, social, and cultural relationships.
Anthropology
The art or science of building; especially, the art of building houses, churches, bridges, and other structures, for the purposes of civil life
AL 23.5.18: The original "Construction Engineering and Architecture" class from re3data has been split into "Construction Engineering" and "Architecture". Users have requested the single terms, and removal of compound terms aligns with FAIRsharing best practices.
Architecture
Artificial intelligence is the branch of computer science that deals with writing computer programs that can solve problems creatively.
AL: 20.5.2019, Updated AL 8.7.19: Refactored re3data composite class 'Artificial Intelligence, Image and Language Processing' into sibling classes 'Artificial Intelligence' and 'Digital Image Processing', according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. Please note that the 'Natural Language Processing' component was not retained as it is already present within DRAO.
Artificial Intelligence
The scientific study of living organisms.
Biology
Physics as applied to biological problems; an interdisciplinary science that applies theories and methods of the physical sciences to questions of biology.
Biological Physics
AL: 14.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Statistical Physics, Soft Matter, Biological Physics, Nonlinear Dynamics'. 'Biophysics' was already present in SRAO, and added 'Soft Matter Physics', 'Nonlinear Dynamics', and 'Statistical Physics' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Biophysics
Chemical Engineering; engineering dealing with the industrial application of chemistry. (WWWebster Dictionary)
WWWebster Dictionary
Chemical Engineering
The science of the composition, structure, properties, and reactions of matter, especially of atomic and molecular systems.
AL: 21.1.19 Chemistry is asserted as a child of 'Natural Sciences' by re3data, and a child of Physical Sciences within NCIT.
Chemistry
The department responsible for performing chemical and enzymatic analyses of body fluids and tissues. (from Handbook of Medical Informatics)
AL 9.10.23: As described in https://github.com/FAIRsharing/subject-ontology/issues/77, this has had the direct parent 'Chemistry' removed as it was already a child of Analytical Chemistry.
AL: 16.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry' into sibling classes 'Clinical Chemistry' and 'Pathobiochemistry' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Clinical Chemistry
A branch of chemistry that deals specifically with the structures, synthesis and reactions of carbon-containing compounds.
Organic Chemistry
The branch of chemistry dealing with the physical properties of chemical substances. Chemical thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, quantum chemistry, statistical mechanics, and spectroscopy are some areas of chemistry comprising the bulk of physical chemistry.
AL: 10.4.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Chemical Solid State and Surface Research' into 'Physical Chemistry', and refactored all child classes and the Physical and Theoretical Chemistry hierarchies to reconcile them using non-composite terms according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Physical Chemistry
The application of informatics methods to manage medical information and improve healthcare.
AL: 1.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Epidemiology, Medical Biometry, Medical Informatics' into the 'Public Health' subclass 'Epidemiology' and its sibling 'Medical Biometry' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. 'Medical Informatics' (which was already present) is now a parent term of 'Medical Biometry', which also has Public Health as an additional parent. 'Medical informatics' was also refactored from EDAM to NCIT due to EDAM's composite term and generic synonyms.
Medical Informatics
A pattern of learned beliefs, values, and behavior that are shared within a group. It includes language, styles of communication, practices, customs, and views on roles and relationships.
Culture
The statistical characterization of human populations or segments of human populations (e.g., characterization by age, sex, race, or income).
AL 23.11.17: Hierarchy placement based on ESRC descriptions (http://www.esrc.ac.uk/about-us/what-is-social-science/social-science-disciplines/).
Demographics
The branch of medicine focused on the study of the skin, and responsible for the medical management of its associated diseases.
AL 11.6.2019: This class has been refactored from EDAM to NCIT to better align with FAIRsharing curation guidelines.
Dermatology
The study of how a multicellular organism develops from its early immature forms (e.g., zygote, larva, embryo) into an adult.
Developmental Biology
The branch of biology concerned with the relations between organisms and their environment.
Ecology
That branch of physiology that is concerned with the electric phenomena associated with living bodies and involved in their functional activity.
AL 17.7.2019: Imported from DRAO as more appropriate within SRAO.
AL 9.10.23: removed Physiology parent as already had suitable parent of Neurophysiology. See also https://github.com/FAIRsharing/subject-ontology/issues/78
Electrophysiology
The discipline concerned with the application of scientific knowledge to solve practical issues in commerce or industry.
Engineering Science
Entomology; the branch of zoology that studies insects.
Entomology
The study of the causes, incidence and distribution of disease in the population and its application for prevention or control.
AL: 1.5.2019 Earlier releases of SRAO had an EDAM term (topic_3305) but this was refactored to NCIT to remove the composite concepts.
AL: 1.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Epidemiology, Medical Biometry, Medical Informatics' into the 'Public Health' subclass 'Epidemiology' and its sibling 'Medical Biometry' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. 'Medical Informatics' (which was already present) is now a parent term of 'Medical Biometry', which also has Public Health as an additional parent.
Epidemiology
The application of medical knowledge to questions of law; research, reports and testimony in court by experts in medical science to assist in determining a legal question.
AL 27.11.18: The original "Pathology and Forensic Medicine" class from re3data has been split into "Pathology" and "Forensic Medicine". Removal of compound terms aligns with FAIRsharing best practices.
Forensic Medicine
The branch of medicine that focuses on diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract.
Gastroenterology
The branch of biology that deals with heredity, especially the mechanisms of hereditary transmission and the variation of inherited characteristics among similar or related organisms
AL (Original date unknown, updated 10.6.2019): Changed re3data label from 'General Genetics' to Genetics as this is the term used within FAIRsharing. This class has been refactored from EDAM to NCIT to better align with FAIRsharing curation guidelines.
Genetics
The science that deals with the world and its inhabitants; a description of the earth, or a portion of the earth, including its structure, features, products, political divisions, and the people by whom it is inhabited.
Geography
The branch of medicine that deals with the diseases and hygiene of women.
AL 1.5.2019: Refactored re3data composite class 'Gynecology and Obstetrics' into sibling classes 'Gynecology' and 'Obstetrics'. This replaced the composite EDAM IRI representing 'Gynecology and Obstetrics' with individual NCIT terms according to FAIRsharing best practises.
Gynecology
The branch of medicine that deals with the blood and blood-forming organs and the diseases thereof.
AL: 1.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Hematology, Oncology, Transfusion Medicine' into sibling classes 'Hematology' and 'Oncology', and a child of Hematology called 'Transfusion Medicine' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Hematology
A sub-field of genetics that uses both genetic and immunological analyses to study the genetics behind antibody formation and the immune response. (Biotech Life Science Dictionary)
Immunogenetics
The science that deals with the study of microorganisms, including algae, archaea, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses.
Microbiology
A branch of medicine concerned with the development, anatomy, function, and dysfunction of the kidney.
Nephrology
A branch of medicine concerned with the development, anatomy, function, and dysfunction of the nervous system.
AL 28.9.17 (Updated AL 11.6.2019): Changed re3data label from 'Clinical Neurosciences I - Neurology, Neurosurgery' to Neurology as the new label is singular (non-composite). Neurology is asserted within the NCIT Medicine hierarchy and as a child of Neurobiology by re3data. The hierarchies of both have been retained.
Neurology
A branch of neuroscience concerned with the physiology of the nervous system.
Neurophysiology
Nuclear Medicine is the branch of medicine that uses radioactive materials either to image a patient's body or to destroy diseased cells.
AL 15.1.18: While this particular class was not directly imported from re3data, its parent class was originally named 'Radiology and Nuclear Medicine'. As NCIT has terms separately describing both concepts, FAIRsharing has split the re3data class along the hierarchy described in NCIT.
Nuclear Medicine
A medical-surgical specialty dealing with the care of a woman and her offspring during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (the period shortly after birth).
Obstetrics
This branch of medicine is concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of injuries and illnesses that occur at the workplace or as a result of toxic exposures, stress, or accidents at the workplace. Occupational medicine encompasses issues such as industrial hygiene, safety, pollution control, ergonomics, industrial and agricultural toxicology, disability evaluation, physical rehabilitation, industrial psychology and emergency medicine. (BioTech Life Science Dictionary)
AL: 27.9.17 Changed re3data label from 'Toxicology and Occupational Medicine' to 'Occupational Medicine' as these are two distinct disciplines. Toxicology has been placed as a child of 'Safety Sciences', while Occupational Medicine has been kept as a child of Medicine.
Occupational Medicine
A medical specialty concerned with the structure and function of the eye and the medical and surgical treatment of its defects and diseases.
AL 28.9.17 (Updated AL 11.6.2019): Changed re3data label from 'Clinical Neurosciences III - Opthalmology' to Opthalmology as the new label is simpler and aligns with FAIRsharing best practises. Opthalmology is asserted within the Medicine hierarchy by NCIT and as a child of Neurobiology by re3data. Both assertions have been retained.
Ophthalmology
The study of pharmacologic agents. This includes the preparation, compounding, and dispensing of drugs, as well as the characteristics and properties of drugs, their effects on the body, and how they are metabolized and eliminated from the body.
AL 10.6.2019: Pharmacology is a child of Biological Sciences within NCIT, and a child of Medicine by re3data. The re3data placement has been retained. This class has been refactored from EDAM to NCIT to better align with FAIRsharing curation guidelines.
Pharmacology
The medical specialty that deals with the medical management of mental disorders.
Psychiatry
Psychology
The branch of psychology that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of psychological and behavioral problems.
AL: 9.4.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Differential Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Medical Psychology, Methodology' into sibling classes 'Differential Psychology', 'Clinical Psychology' and 'Medical Psychology' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.'Methodology' was not required within SRAO at this time.
Clinical Psychology
A branch of psychology concerned with educational techniques and assessment of academic aptitude.
AL: 9.4.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Developmental and Educational Psychology' into sibling classes 'Developmental Psychology' and 'Educational Psychology' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Educational Psychology
A branch of medicine concerned with the relationship between emotion and body function.
Psychosomatic Medicine
The science and practice of protecting and improving the health of a community, as by preventive medicine, health education, control of communicable diseases, application of sanitary measures, and monitoring of environmental hazards.
Public Health
The study of the mechanisms and biological effects of ionizing radiation, including repair processes.
AL: 16.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Radiation Oncology and Radiobiology' into parent class 'Radiobiology' and child class 'Radiation Oncology' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Radiobiology
The branch of medical science dealing with the medical use of X-rays or other penetrating radiation.
AL 15.1.18 Originally named 'Radiology and Nuclear Medicine', but split into two separate classes (according to the NCIT hierarchy) after Radiology was required in FAIRsharing as a standalone concept.
Radiology
A medical specialty that deals with diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of the connective tissues.
AL: 7.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Rheumatology, Clinical Immunology, Allergology' into classes 'Rheumatology' (remains child of Medicine) and 'Clinical Immunology' (child of Immunology and Health Sciences) according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Rheumatology
Comprises the scientific study of the human aspects of the world. They are also known as social studies. Psychology studies the human mind, sociology examines human society, political science studies the governing of groups and economics concerns itself with the allocation of wealth in society.
Social Science
The application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of computer software.
AL: 29.9.17 Changed label from 'Software Technology' (sourced from re3data) to 'Software engineering' to align with EDAM.
Software Engineering
A branch of applied mathematics concerned with the collection and interpretation of quantitative data and the use of probability theory to estimate population parameters.
Statistics and Probability
AL 10.4.2019: Renamed 'Statistics and Probability' to 'Statistics' to align with FAIRsharing curation best practices.
Statistics
The branch of medical science that treats disease or injury by operative procedures.
Surgery
Surgical procedures for treating diseases and disorders of the oral cavity.
Oral Surgery
The branch of physics concerned with the conversion of different forms of energy.
AL 17.7.2019: Imported from DRAO as more appropriate within SRAO. At the same time, IRI changed from http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/OMIT_0014667 to http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/NCIT_C17193 as it provides a definition.
Thermodynamics
Toxicology is the branch of pharmacology that deals with the nature and effects and treatments of poisons.
AL 10.6.2019: Added parent term of 'Pharmacology' to align with NCIT hierarchy. This class has been refactored from EDAM to NCIT to better align with FAIRsharing curation guidelines. AL 27.9.17: Changed re3data label from 'Toxicology and Occupational Medicine' to 'Occupational Medicine' as these are two distinct disciplines. Toxicology has been placed as a child of 'Safety Sciences', while Occupational Medicine has been kept as a child of Medicine.
Toxicology
The medical specialty concerned with the study, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases of the genitourinary tract.
Urology
The branch of biology dealing with the study of animals.
Zoology
The use of data processing systems to analyze, enhance, interpret or display digital images.
AL: 20.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Artificial Intelligence, Image and Language Processing' into sibling classes 'Artificial Intelligence' and 'Digital Image Processing', with 'Natural Language Processing' as a child term of 'Artificial Intelligence' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Digital Image Processing
A plan of action adopted by an individual or social group.
AL 21.5.2019: Added as a new parent for Social Policy and Economic Policy in a placement consistent with the NCIT hierarchy.
Policy
The study of tumors encompassing the physical, chemical, and biologic properties.
Oncology
A branch of genetics concerned with the mechanisms and processes of heredity in microorganisms.
AL: 10.4.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Metabolism, Biochemistry and Genetics of Microorganisms' into sibling classes 'Microbial Genetics', ' Microbial Physiology' and 'Molecular Microbiology' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Microbial Genetics
Bioinformatics derives knowledge from computer analysis of biological data. These can consist of the information stored in the genetic code, but also experimental results from various sources, patient statistics, and scientific literature. Research in bioinformatics includes method development for storage, retrieval, and analysis of the data. Bioinformatics is a rapidly developing branch of biology and is highly interdisciplinary, using techniques and concepts from informatics, statistics, mathematics, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, and linguistics. It has many practical applications in different areas of biology and medicine. (M. Nilges and Jens P. Linge, Unite de Bio-informatique Structurale, Institut Pasteur, Paris)
AL 27.9.17 [Updated AL 10.6.2019] Bioinformatics is asserted as a child of Biology within re3data, but has also been asserted as a child of Informatics by FAIRsharing. Within FAIRsharing, this term used to be labelled 'Bioinformatics tools and formats', but has been modified for simplicity. Within re3data, this term used to be labelled 'Bioinformatics and Theoretical Biology' but was simplified as these are two distinct disciplines. Currently Theoretical Biology has not been re-introduced, but this may need to be revisited in future.
Bioinformatics
The study of the internal workings of cells at the microscopic and molecular level.
Cell Biology
The study of the immune system and its reaction to pathogens, as well as its malfunctions (autoimmune diseases, allergies, rejection of organ transplants).
AL 14.5.2019: Refactored Immunology from the EDAM to the NCIT class due to conflation of subject areas by the EDAM class.
Immunology
Bioengineering integrates physical, chemical, or mathematical sciences and engineering principles for treatment and for the study of biology, medicine, behavior, or health.
Biomedical Engineering
AL 23.11.17: Added parent 'Engineering Sciences' to align with the structure found within NCIT.
Bioengineering
The branch of neurobiology concerned with the changes that take place in the nervous system between fertilization and maturity.
Developmental Neurobiology
The science of simulating the motions of a system of particles. (Karplus and Petsko)
Molecular Dynamics
The discipline concerned with the three-dimensional configuration of biological molecules and the influence of structure on function.
Structural Biology
The medical science, and specialty practice, concerned with all aspects of disease, but with special reference to the essential nature, causes, and development of abnormal conditions, as well as the structural and functional changes that result from the disease processes. Informally used to mean the result of such an examination.
Pathology
Interdisciplinary studies involving biology, anthropology, nutrition, and medicine with a focus on humans.
AL 9.10.23: Removed parent 'Zoology' as having both that and parent of Biology could be confusing and is unnecessary. See also https://github.com/FAIRsharing/subject-ontology/issues/79
Human Biology
Computational chemistry is the branch of theoretical chemistry whose major goals are to create efficient computer programs that calculate the properties of molecules (such as total energy, dipole moment, vibrational frequencies) and to apply these programs to concrete chemical objects. (from Information Headquarters)
AL: 10.4.2019 Refactored the Physical and Theoretical Chemistry hierarchies to reconcile them using non-composite terms according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Computational Chemistry
A multidisciplinary field that strives to comprehend the interactions of cellular components, molecular components and engineered materials at the nanoscale (i.e., less than 100 nanometers). This discipline focuses on the understanding and control of matter at the nanoscale, wherein unique phenomena enable novel applications.
AL 9.10.23: Remove Chemistry as direct parent of Nanotechnology as it is already an indirect parent via Surface Science -> Physical Chemistry -> Chemistry. See also https://github.com/FAIRsharing/subject-ontology/issues/81
AL 9.7.2019: Moved from DRAO to SRAO, as it is a subject area rather than a domain. At the same time, it was refactored from http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/OMIT_0022673 to http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/NCIT_C18478 for the curation provided by NCIT.
Nanotechnology
AL 17.11.21: Removed re3data alternative term "Animal Genetics, Cell and Developmental Biology"
AL 25.1 18: The label within NCIT has been chosen as the label for this class as it is simpler, while the re3data has been retained as an alternative term.
Animal Genetics
The branch of biochemistry dealing with the chemical nature and biological activity of enzymes.
Enzymology
The medical field that deals with immune diseases, including autoimmune diseases, allergies, rejection of organ transplants and immune deficiency.
AL 10.10.23: It doesn't make sense to keep Health Science as a parent when it is already an indirect parent via Immunology -> Health Science. See also https://github.com/FAIRsharing/subject-ontology/issues/82
Clinical Immunology
Database management involves the design and maintenance of electronic data storage systems to facilitate and optimize the categorization, selection, and retrieval of information.
Database Management
The study of the psychological and behavioral changes that occur in an organism between birth and old age.
Developmental Psychology
Microbial Metabolism
Microbial Physiology
The study of microorganisms with an emphasis on their role in the human disease process.
AL: 10.4.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Medical Microbiology, Molecular Infection Biology' into sibling classes 'Molecular Infection Biology' and 'Medical Microbiology' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. Added an additional parent term of 'Biomedical Science' to align with the definition.
Medical Microbiology
The study of synthesis and application of polymers. Polymers are any of numerous natural and synthetic compounds of usually high molecular weight consisting of up to millions of repeated linked units, each a relatively light and simple molecule.
AL: 21.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Preparatory and Physical Chemistry of Polymers' into 'Polymer Chemistry' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Polymer Chemistry
The sciences concerned with health promotion and maintenance.
Health Science
The application of engineering and mathematical principles to electrical problems
Electrical Engineering
Its fundamental principle is that any physical system can be decomposed into a collection of simple independent local elements each of which interacts only with its immediate neighbors. In classical mechanics a complete description of any physical system is supposed to be specified by giving the values of the various fields (e.g., the electric field, the magnetic field, etc.) at each of the relevant spacetime points.
Mechanics
The global analysis of cellular proteins. Proteomics uses a combination of sophisticated techniques including two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis, image analysis, mass spectrometry, amino acid sequencing, and bio-informatics to resolve comprehensively, to quantify, and to characterize proteins. The application of proteomics provides major opportunities to elucidate disease mechanisms and to identify new diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets.
Proteomics
The combination of computational DNA sequence analysis with structural determinations by X-ray crystallography and NMR techniques to study protein structural families. (from RFA: GM-99-009)
AL 17.11.21: Refactored from EDAM http://edamontology.org/topic_0122 because definition was insufficient (The elucidation of the three dimensional structure for all (available) proteins in a given organism.).
Structural Genomics
Toxicogenomics is a new scientific field that elucidates how the entire genome is involved in biological responses of organisms exposed to environmental toxicants/stressors. Toxicogenomics combines information from studies of genomic-scale mRNA profiling (by microarray analysis), cell-wide or tissue-wide protein profiling (proteomics), genetic susceptibility, and computational models to understand the roles of gene-environment interactions in disease. (from National Center for Toxicogenomics homepage)
AL 20.12.17: Although NCIT places Toxicogenomics as a child of Bioinformatics, FAIRsharing instead places it as a child of both Genomics and Toxicology.
Toxicogenomics
A specialized branch of chemistry dealing with the making of compounds, generally from the building blocks to the larger or complex molecules. e.g. making protein from amino acids, or DNA from nucleotides.
AL: 10.4.2019 Refactored the Physical and Theoretical Chemistry hierarchies to reconcile them using non-composite terms according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. Simplified this class name from 'Solid State and Surface Chemistry, Material Synthesis' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Synthesis Chemistry
A series of chemical modifications of a drug compound by enzymatic activity that make the substrate (drug) more water soluble to allow its clearance from the body. Drug metabolism occurs in two phases: Phase I (biotransformation) involves oxidation, hydroxylation reduction, and hydrolysis. Phase II (conjugation) involves synthesis and conjugation.
Drug Metabolism
The field of study concerned with the rational investigation of questions about existence and knowledge and ethics.
Philosophy
The aggregate of past events; the continuum of events occurring in succession leading from the past to the present; a record or narrative description of past events.
History
The study of the structure, function, expression, evolution, mapping and editing of genomes.
Genomics
The branch of medicine dealing with the heart and its diseases.
AL: 20.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Cardiology, Angiology' into sibling classes 'Cardiology' and 'Angiology' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Cardiology
The branch of medicine that involves the laboratory growth of functional tissues and organs and their use to regenerate or replace tissues and organs in the body that are damaged by diseases or cannot be healed. Examples include the transplantation of in vitro developed tissues, cell therapies, and stimulation of regeneration by biological substances.
Regenerative Medicine
A subject domain utilized for the submission of information encompassing and representing data, vocabulary or records related to the brain and nervous system.
AL: 17.10.17 Neuroscience is asserted as a child of Medicine by re3data and Neuro*biology* as a child of 'Biomedical Science' by EDAM. We have placed Neurobiology as a child of Neuroscience. The re3data label has been changed from Neurosciences to Neuroscience to align with FAIRsharing terminology.
Neuroscience
A planned process with the objective to graphically represent some data by inputing the data and outputting images, diagrams or animations.
Elisabetta Manduchi
James Malone
Melanie Courtot
Tina Boussard
visualization
PERSON: Elisabetta Manduchi
PERSON: James Malone
PERSON: Melanie Courtot
PERSON: Tina Boussard
OBI
AL 11.6.2019: This class has been refactored from EDAM to OBI to better align with FAIRsharing curation guidelines.
data visualization
Cognitive Neuroscience is the field of study focusing on the neural substrates of mental processes. It is at the intersection of psychology and neuroscience, but also overlaps with physiological psychology, cognitive psychology and neuropsychology. It combines the theories of cognitive psychology and computational modelling with experimental data about the brain.
Nature https://www.nature.com/subjects/cognitive-neuroscience, 3.4.2019
OMIT
AL: 9.4.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging' into 'Cognitive Neuroscience' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. Added parent 'Psychology' to align with the definition provided.
Cognitive Neuroscience
Cultural Anthropology is a branch of anthropology focused on the study of cultural variation among humans. It is in contrast to social anthropology, which perceives cultural variation as a subset of the anthropological constant. Cultural Anthropology is the more common term in the United States, with Social Anthropology usually preferred in Britain, although they are also often considered distinct research areas. The terms tend to reflect a difference in emphasis between the two disciplines, with Cultural Anthropology aiming to appreciate the whole sphere of human cultural life, by examining historical, political, psychological, and other frameworks.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_anthropology and OED, AL 11.4.2019
Cultural Anthropology
Archaeology is the scientific study human activity through the recovery and analysis of the remains and monuments of the prehistoric period.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_archaeology, AL 13.6.2019
Adapted by AL from OED and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeology, 17.11.21
See also https://github.com/FAIRsharing/subject-ontology/issues/55
Archaeology
Art is the expression or application of creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting, drawing, or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. Also: such works themselves considered collectively.
Adapted from OED definition 8a, AL 6.6.2019
AL 10.4.2019: Renamed 'Arts' to 'Art' to match the meaning intended within OMIT.
Art
Automation is the action or process of introducing automatic equipment or devices into a manufacturing or other process or facility.
AL: 10.4.2019 Refactored 'Production Automation, Factory Operation, Operations Manangement' into 'Automation' to simplify the term according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Automation
Criminal Law is the branch of law concerned with defining crimes and with prosecuting and punishing offenders; the body of law relating to crime.
OED, AL 21.05.2019
AL: 21.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Criminal Law and Law of Criminal Procedure' into 'Criminal Law' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Criminal Law
Criminology is the study of crime and criminals; this as an academic discipline.
Criminology
Geology is the study or science of the earth, its history, and its life as recorded in the rocks; includes the study of geologic features of an area, such as the geometry of rock formations, weathering and erosion, and sedimentation.
GEMET https://www.eionet.europa.eu/gemet/en/concept/3650, AL 12.6.2019
AL 18.6.2019: This class' label was updated when the original re3data subject 'Geology and Paleontology' was split into two sibling classes.
Geology
Humanities is the branch of learning concerned with human culture; the academic subjects collectively comprising this branch of learning, as history, literature, ancient and modern languages, law, philosophy, art, and music.
OED, AL 12.6.2019
Humanities
Jurisprudence is the science which treats of human laws (written or unwritten) in general; the philosophy of law.
Jurisprudence
Medicine is the science or practice of the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.
Adapted from OED, AL 5.6.2019
AL 11.6.2019: This class has been refactored from EDAM to OMIT to better align with FAIRsharing curation guidelines.
Medicine
Metallurgy is the domain of Materials Engineering that is concerned with the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their inter-metallic compounds, and their mixtures, called alloys.
Adapted from Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metallurgy, AL 28.3.2019
AL: 7.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Metallurgical and Thermal Processes, Thermomechanical Treatment of Materials' into child class 'Thermomechanical Processing' with parent class 'Metallurgy' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Metallurgy
Oceanography is the branch of science concerned with the physical and biological properties and phenomena of the ocean. [OED, AL 20.05.2019]
Oceanography
Musculoskeletal Medicine is the diagnosis and treatment of problems arising from the musculoskeletal system. This includes injuries and diseases affecting the muscles, bones and joints of the limbs and spine.
MSK Medicine
Orthopaedics
Orthopedics
Adapted from https://www.fsem.ac.uk/about-us/our-role-in-healthcare/musculoskeletal-medicine/, AL 23.05.2019
AL: 16.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Traumatology and Orthopaedics' into 'Traumatology' and 'Orthopaedic Surgery' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. 'Orthopedics' itself as a medical discipline is listed as a synonym of 'Musculoskeletal Medicine'.
Musculoskeletal Medicine
Paleontology is the branch of science that deals with extinct and fossil humans, animals, and plants, or more generally with evidence of organic life during the geological past.
AL 24.11.17: This class was created when the original re3data subject 'Geology and Paleontology' was split into two sibling classes. As such, we have noted that this term also comes from re3data.
Paleontology
A branch of biology which deals with parasitic organisms with a strong emphasis on their role in disease.
NCI
AL 10.6.2019: OMIT does not provide a definition for this class. Therefore the source of the definition for this class was NCIT. The NCIT class whose definition was used was unsuitable for SRAO as its synonyms included 'Microbiology', a subject described elsewhere in SRAO and not a synonym according to FAIRsharing curation guidelines. This class has been refactored from EDAM to OMIT to better align with FAIRsharing curation guidelines.
Parasitology
Pharmacy is the medical area concerned with the preparation and dispensing of medicinal drugs.
Adapted from OED definition 3, AL 17.6.2019
Pharmacy
Natural Science is the branch of knowledge that deals with the natural or physical world, in contrast to the social sciences and human sciences.
Adapted from OED, AL 17.6.2019
Natural Science
Population Dynamics is the study of how and why populations change in size and structure over time. Important factors in population dynamics include rates of reproduction, death and migration.
Nature https://www.nature.com/subjects/population-dynamics, AL 16.7.2019
Population Dynamics
Primary Health Care is a whole-of-society approach to health and well-being centred on the needs and preferences of individuals, families and communities. It addresses the broader determinants of health and focuses on the comprehensive and interrelated aspects of physical, mental and social health and wellbeing.
WHO https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/primary-health-care, AL 12.6.2019
Primary Health Care
Medical Psychology is the application of Clinical Psychology to medicine-specific issues. It also includes the application of psychological principles to the practice of medicine, including the integration of somatic and psychotherapeutic modalities into the management of illnesses and disorders.
Adapted from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_psychology and https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-clinical-psychology-and-medical-psychology, AL 9.4.2019
Medical Psychology
Social Medicine is a branch of science concerned with social and economic aspects of health, disease, and medical care.
Adapted from OED, AL 1.5.2019
Social Medicine
Global health is field of study concerned with the health of populations in a global context; this includes worldwide health improvement (including mental health), reduction of disparities, and protection against global threats that disregard national borders. Global health can be measured as a function of various global diseases and their prevalence in the world and threat to decrease life in the present day.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_health, AL 17.6.2019
Global Health
Nonlinear Dynamics is the branch of Physics that studies systems governed by equations more complex than the linear, aX+b form. Nonlinear systems, such as the weather or neurons, often appear chaotic, unpredictable or counterintuitive, and yet their behaviour is not random.
Nature https://www.nature.com/subjects/nonlinear-dynamics, AL 14.05.2019
Nonlinear Dynamics
Ecosystem Science is the study of inter-relationships among the living organisms, physical features, bio-chemical processes, natural phenomena, and human activities in ecological communities. [NOAA https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ecosci.html, AL 16.5.2019]
Ecosystem Science
Radiation Oncology is the study of the effects of ionizing radiation for treatment of tumors.
NCIT http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/NCIT_C17760, AL 16.5.2019
Radiation Oncology
Natural History is a domain of inquiry involving organisms including animals, fungi and plants in their environment; leaning more towards observational than experimental methods of study.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_history, accessed 27.11.18
Natural History
Theology is the study or science which is concerned with God, his nature and attributes, and his relations with man and the universe.
Adapted from OED, AL 6.6.2019
Theology
Ancient History is the study of the history of past events from the beginning of writing and recorded human history and extending as far as the post-classical history.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_history, AL 12.6.2019
Ancient History
Medieval History is the study of the historical period also known as the Middle Ages. This is defined as the period in European history from the collapse of Roman civilization in the 5th century CE to the period of the Renaissance (variously interpreted as beginning in the 13th, 14th, or 15th century, depending on the region of Europe and on other factors).
Adapted from Encyclopedia Britannica https://www.britannica.com/event/Middle-Ages, AL 12.6.2019
Medieval History
Infectious Disease Medicine is a branch of internal medicine concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases.
Adapted from MeSH https://meshb.nlm.nih.gov/record/ui?ui=D055552, PM 29.07.2020
FAIRsharing requirement
PM 29.07.2020. The nearest term in SRAO is Epidemiology, but as this is about populations rather than individuals (as discussed in #49) we should not consider that part of the hierarchy. We may wish to relate this term to the Immunology hierarchy in some way.
Infectious Disease Medicine
Meteorology is the branch of science that deals with atmospheric phenomena and processes, especially with a view to forecasting the weather.
AL, modified from OED, accessed 26.11.18
Meteorology
Earth Science is the science that deals with the earth or any part thereof; includes the disciplines of geology, geography, oceanography and meteorology, among others. [GEMET https://www.eionet.europa.eu/gemet/en/concept/2405, AL 12.6.2019]
Geoscience
AL 10.11.2017: Aligned with the OMIT 'Earth Sciences' class, as this is the label and URI used within FAIRsharing.
Earth Science
Data mining is the process of discovering patterns in large data sets involving methods at the intersection of machine learning, statistics, and database systems.
AL 12.6.2019: This class has been refactored from EDAM to OMIT to better align with FAIRsharing curation guidelines.
Data Mining
Drug repositioning is the deliberate and methodical practice of finding new applications for existing drugs.
Adapted from MeSH https://meshb.nlm.nih.gov/record/ui?ui=D058492, AL 20.5.2020
AL 20.5.20: Although the MESH hierarchy lists this class as a child term of 'Drug Development', which we have as a subject in SRAO, it was agreed with the curation team that we should create it as a sibling class of 'Drug Development' as this more closely matches the defintions.
Synthetic Biology is a field of biological research combining engineering in the formulation, design, and building (synthesis) of novel biological structures, functions, and systems.
MeSH, PAM 27.02.2018
AL 23.11.17: Placement within this hierarchy partially follows original placement within the OMIT hierarchy (which placed 'Synthetic Biology' as a child of both 'Biology' and 'Bioengineering'. We just use 'Bioengineering', which itself is within the 'Biology' hierarchy.
PAM 27.02.2018: Cannot find placement in OMIT hierarchy, so taken definition from MeSH.
Synthetic Biology
Reproductive Health is a research area that addresses the reproductive processes, functions and system at all stages of life.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reproductive_health, AL 5.6.2019
Reproductive Health
Transfusion Medicine is the branch of medicine that is concerned with transfusion of blood and blood components. It encompasses issues of blood donation, immunohematology and other laboratory testing, transfusion practices, patient blood management, therapeutic apheresis, stem cell collections, cellular therapy, and coagulation.
Adapted from Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transfusion_medicine, AL 28.3.2019
Transfusion Medicine
An anatomical entity that is or was part of a plant.
AL 23.11.17: Please note the original Plant Ontology term is 'plant anatomical entity', however FAIRsharing requires the use of the term in the sense of a subject/discipline.
Plant Anatomy
Humanities and Social Sciences is a broad multi-disciplinary research area incorporating both the Humanities and the Social Sciences. One differentiator for these two closely-related subjects is that humanities are predominately interested in studying the specifics and the 'unique', while social sciences are mainly interested in the general / population level.
Adapted from https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/blog/what-social-science, AL 17.6.2019
AL 17.11.21: The label was modified from plural to singular according to FAIRsharing best practises.
AL 3.6.2019: This 'composite term' (a class describing multiple concepts) is a standard conflation within this research area and is therefore retained. This is in contrast with the general rule within FAIRsharing to refactor composite terms.
Humanities and Social Science
Ancient Cultures is the study of the pattern of learned beliefs, values, and behavior that are shared within a group in the context of ancient civilisations.
Adapted from NCIT http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/NCIT_C16478, AL 12.6.2019
Ancient Cultures
Prehistory is the branch of knowledge that deals with events or conditions before written or recorded history.
Prehistory
Classical Philology is the branch of knowledge that deals with the historical, linguistic, interpretative, and critical aspects of literature from the classical period, generally considered to be the Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman civilizations.
Adapted from OED, AL 13.6.2019
Classical Philology
Egyptology is the study of Egyptian antiquities, of the ancient Egyptian language and history.
Adapted from OED, AL 21.05.2019
AL: 21.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies' into sibling classes 'Ancient Near Eastern Studies' and 'Ancient Near Eastern Studies' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Egyptology
Early Modern History is the study of the period of modern history that follows the late Middle Ages of the post-classical era. Although the chronological limits of the period are open to debate, the timeframe spans the period after the late portion of the post-classical age (c. 1500), known as the Middle Ages, through the beginning of the Age of Revolutions (c. 1800).
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_modern_period, AL 12.6.2019
Early Modern History
Modern History is the study of the historical period after post-classical history.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_history, AL 21.05.2019
AL: 21.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Modern and Current History' into 'Modern History' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Modern History
History of Science is the study of the development of science and scientific knowledge, including both the natural and social sciences.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_science, AL 12.6.2019
History of Science
Fine Arts is a subject area covering the creative arts, including the visual arts, poetry, music, rhetoric, etc., whose products are intended to be appreciated primarily or solely for their aesthetic, imaginative, or intellectual content.
Adapted from OED, AL 10.4.2019
AL 10.4.2019: Renamed 'Fine Arts, Music, Theatre and Media Studies' to 'Fine Arts' to align with FAIRsharing curation best practices.
Fine Arts
Art history is the study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts; that is genre, design, format, and style.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_history, AL 18.6.2019
Art History
Musicology is the branch of knowledge that deals with music as a subject of study rather than as a skill or performing art; academic research in or scholarly study of music.
Musicology
Media Studies is a discipline and field of study that deals with the content, history, and effects of various media; in particular, the mass media.
Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_studies, 1.4.2019
AL 10.4.2019: Refactored 'Theatre and Media Studies' to sibling classes 'Theatre Studies' and 'Media Studies' to align with FAIRsharing curation best practices.
Media Studies
Applied Linguistics is the branch of linguistics concerned with practical applications of language studies, such as language teaching, translation, and speech therapy. It is an interdisciplinary field which identifies, investigates, and offers solutions to language-related real-life problems. Some of the academic fields related to applied linguistics are education, psychology, communication research, anthropology, and sociology.
Adapted from OED, Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Applied_linguistics, AL 1.4.2019
AL: 7.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'General and Applied Linguistics' into 'Applied Linguistics' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Applied Linguistics
Historical Linguistics is the branch of linguistics concerned with the history and development of languages.
AL: 7.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Typology, Non-European Languages, Historical Linguistics' into 'Historical Linguistics' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Historical Linguistics
Literary Studies is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literary_criticism, AL 21.05.2019
Literary Studies
Medieval German Literature is a field of study concerned with literature written in Germany, starting with the Carolingian dynasty. Various dates have been given for the end of the German literary Middle Ages, with the Reformation (1517) being the last possible cut-off point.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_German_literature, AL 12.6.2019
Medieval German Literature
German Literature comprises the written works of the German-speaking peoples of central Europe.
Encyclopedia Britannica https://www.britannica.com/art/German-literature, AL 6.6.2019
AL 3.7.2019: Renamed from 'Modern German Literature' (the original re3data label) to 'German Literature' as FAIRsharing required a more broad subject area.
German Literature
European Literature is the literature written in the context of Western culture in the languages of Europe, including the ones belonging to the Indo-European language family as well as several geographically or historically related languages such as Basque and Hungarian.
Western Literature
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_literature, AL 21.05.2019
AL: 21.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'European and American Literature' into sibling classes 'European Literature' and 'American Literature' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
European Literature
Comparative Literature is the study of literature across cultural and national frontiers, time periods, languages and genres, even across the boundaries between literature and the other arts.
https://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/degrees/comparativeliterature/, AL 21.05.2019
AL: 21.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'General and Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies' into sibling classes 'Comparative Literature' and 'Cultural Studies' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Comparative Literature
Asian Studies is the term used usually in North America and Australia for what in Europe is known as Oriental studies. The field is concerned with the Asian people and societies, their cultures, languages, history and politics.
Oriental Studies
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_studies, 11.4.2019
Asian Studies
African Studies is the study of Africa, especially the continent's cultures and societies (as opposed to its geology, geography, zoology, etc.).
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_studies, 11.4.2019
African Studies
Islamic Studies refers to the study of Islam. Islamic studies can be pursued from a primarily secular or traditional religous perspective.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_studies, 11.4.2019
Islamic Studies
Religious Studies is an academic field devoted to research into religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_studies, AL 11.4.2019
Religious Studies
Protestant Theology is the study of the Christian denomination of Protestantism.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism#Theology, AL 13.6.2019
Protestant Theology
Roman Catholic Theology is the understanding of Roman Catholic doctrine or teachings, and results from the studies of theologians. It is based on canonical scripture, and sacred tradition, as interpreted authoritatively by the magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_theology, AL 18.6.2019
Roman Catholic Theology
History of philosophy is a research area concerned with the various periods, individuals and/or schools of philosophy.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy#History_of_philosophy, AL 12.6.2019
History of Philosophy
Theoretical Philosophy is a discipline dealing with questions concerning the nature and scope of human knowledge, the relations between language, thought and reality, the structures of correct reasoning, and the fundamental categories of reality.
Adapted from https://www.philosophy.su.se/utbildning/kurser/grundnivå/deltidskurser/2.44303/theoretical-philosophy-i-30-credits-tpi-1.276132, AL 12.6.2019
Theoretical Philosophy
Practical Philosophy is the study of the bases of philosophy (metaphysics, knowledge theory, logic) for "practical thinking", with the emphasis on values, attitudes to life and norms of behaviour. Value theory and analysis of normative positions constitute the core of practical philosophy.
Adapted from https://www.fil.lu.se/en/department/subjects-at-the-department/practical-philosophy/, AL 12.6.2019
Practical Philosophy
Social and Behavioral Science is a broad area of study that applies to a unique range of disciplines -- anthropology, sociology, and psychology, among them -- that are primarily concerned with the analysis of human behavior.
Adapted from https://www.ashford.edu/online-degrees/social-behavioral-science/what-is-social-and-behavioral-science, AL 12.6.2019
Social and Behavioural Science
Education Science is the study of educational policy and practice and deals with the methods and strategies of teaching.
Pedagogy
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_sciences and https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_is_Education_Science, AL 12.6.2019
Education Science
Research on Teaching, Learning and Training is a field of Education Science focusing on the study of teaching, learning and training methods.
Research on Teaching, Learning and Training
Professional Socialization is the process of forming associations with others in a chosen profession; specifically, the process by which a person learns to function within a particular profession by internalizing its values and norms.
Adapted from OED, AL 1.4.2019
AL: 8.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Research on Socialization and Educational Institutions and Professions' into 'Professional Socialization' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Professional Socialization
Biological psychology is the application of the principles of biology to the study of mental processes and behaviour. For example, it involves the measuring of biological, physiological, or genetic variables in an attempt to relate them to psychological or behavioural variables.
Behavioral Neuroscience
Biopsychology
Physiological Psychology
Psychobiology
Adapted from https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontopsychology/chapter/2-1-biological-psychology-structuralism-and-functionalism/, AL 9.4.2019
AL: 9.4.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'General, Biological and Mathematical Psychology' into sibling classes 'Biological Psychology' and 'Mathematical Psychology' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. Please note that, although there is an NCIT term 'Psychobiology' it has a synonym of 'Biological Psychiatry', and FAIRsharing considers 'Biological Psychiatry' and 'Biological Psychology' as two separate concepts.Placement of 'Cognitive Neuroscience' as a child (rather than a sibling) term of this class follows https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontopsychology/chapter/2-1-biological-psychology-structuralism-and-functionalism/
Biological Psychology
Social Psychology is the study of social interactions, including their origins and effects on individuals and groups.
Adapted from OED, 3.4.2019
AL: 9.4.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Social Psychology, Industrial and Organisational Psychology' into sibling classes 'Social Psychology' and 'Industrial and Organisational Psychology' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. Definitions and common usage show that the composite term 'Industrial and Organisational Psychology' should not be further divided.
Social Psychology
Differential Psychology is the study of the ways in which individuals differ in their behavior and the processes that underlie it. This is a discipline that develops classifications (taxonomies) of psychological individual differences. This is distinguished from other aspects of psychology in that although psychology is ostensibly a study of individuals, modern psychologists often study groups, or attempt to discover general psychological processes that apply to all individuals.
Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_psychology, 28.3.19
Differential Psychology
Sociological Theory is a field of Social Sciences focusing on the introduction of new substantive theories, history of theory, metatheory, formal theory construction, and synthetic contributions.
https://journals.sagepub.com/home/stx, AL 12.6.2019
Sociological Theory
Empirical Social Research uses empirical data on social formations and their members as a basis for explaining social phenomena. It is concerned with empirical research activities grounded in social theory and enriching social theory.
Adapted from https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-097086-8.03217-7, AL 6.6.2019
Empirical Social Research
Communication Science is the study of ways in which human beings communicate, including speech, gesture, telecommunication systems, publishing and broadcasting media, etc.
Collins English Dictionary https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/communication-science, AL 12.6.2019
Communication Science
Political Science is the study of the State and systems of government; the analysis of political activity and behaviour.
OED, AL 12.6.20019
Political Science
Economic Theory is the field of study concerned with those areas of economics based on rigorous theoretical reasoning and on topics in mathematics that are supported by the analysis of economic problems.
Adapted from SpringerLink https://link.springer.com/journal/199, AL 17.6.2019
Economic Theory
Business Administration is the field of study concerning the process of running a business. It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising business operations, as well as related fields which include accounting, finance, project management and marketing.
Adapted from OED and Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_administration, AL 12.6.2019
Business Administration
Economic and Social History is the study of the way societies change in their economic activities and social organisation. It is concerned with how people in the past lived and worked, and how this has affected the development of today’s world.
https://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/degrees/economicsocialhistory/, AL 21.05.2019
AL 21.5.2019: This 'composite term' (a class describing multiple concepts) is a standard conflation within this research area and is therefore retained. This is in contrast with the general rule within FAIRsharing to refactor composite terms.
Economic and Social History
Philosophy of Law is a branch of philosophy that examines the nature of law and law's relationship to other systems of norms, especially ethics and political philosophy.
Legal Philosophy
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_law, AL 21.05.2019
AL: 21.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Legal and Political Philosophy, Legal History, Legal Theory' into sibling classes 'Philosophy of Law' and 'History of Law' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. Legal Theory is not required at this time, and can fall under the Jurisprudence category generally.
Philosophy of Law
Private Law is the branch of law concerning relations and dealings between private individuals.
Private Law
Public Law is the law governing relations between individuals and the State, or the conduct of the State.
Public Law
Inter-organismic Interactions of Plants is a research area concerned with all biochemical, physiological and molecular aspects of plant-plant interactions. [Adapted from https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=tjpi20, AL 17.6.2019]
Inter-organismic Interactions of Plants
Phytochemistry is the chemistry of plants and plant products.
AL: 10.4.2019 Refactored 'Plant Biochemistry and Biophysics' into 'Phytochemistry' to simplify the term according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. Please note we already had the term 'Biophysics', and therefore do not currently require the 'Plant Biophysics' subdomain.
Phytochemistry
Plant Cell Biology is a research area focusing on the how the processes underlying plant cell function and development are regulated.
Adapted from https://www.plants.ox.ac.uk/cell-and-developmental-biology-cdb, AL 23.3.2019
AL: 10.4.2019 Refactored 'Plant Cell and Developmental Biology' into 'Plant Cell Biology' to simplify the term according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Plant Cell Biology
Behavioural Biology is an interdisciplinary degree and field of science that examines the bidirectional interactions between behaviour and biology. An organism’s genetic, physiological and immunological processes drive behaviour, just as an individual's behaviour will impact its physiological and immunological state.
Behavioral Biology
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/degree-programmes/445/C859/behavioural-biology/. AL 14.5.2019
AL: 14.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Sensory and Behavioural Biology' into 'Behavioural Biology' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Behavioural Biology
Molecular Microbiology is the branch of microbiology devoted to the study of the molecular basis of the physiological processes that occur in microorganisms.
Alan Ward https://www.staff.ncl.ac.uk/alan.ward/Molecular_Microbiology/Lecture%201.pptx, AL 6.6.2019
Molecular Microbiology
Applied Microbiology is a scientific discipline that deals with the application of microorganisms and the knowledge about them. Applications include biotechnology, agriculture, medicine, food microbiology and bioremediation.
Nature https://www.nature.com/subjects/applied-microbiology, AL 12.6.2019
AL: 25.9.17 Changed re3data label from "Microbial Ecology and Applied Microbiology" to "Applied Microbiology" as these are two distinct domains. Microbial Ecology, as a distinct displine, is a sibling class.
Applied Microbiology
Molecular Infection Biology is the branch of molecular biology which applies to infectious agents.
Adapted from https://www.vu.nl/en/study-guide/2018-2019/master/a-b/biomolecular-sciences/index.aspx?view=module&origin=50051465x50051462&id=50043925, AL 1.4.2019
AL: 10.4.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Medical Microbiology, Molecular Infection Biology' into sibling classes 'Molecular Infection Biology' and 'Medical Microbiology' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. Added an additional parent term of 'Molecular Biology' to align with the definition.
AL: 28.9.17 'Medical Microbiology, Molecular Infection Biology' is asserted as a child of Microbiology by re3data, and has additionally been positioned as a child of 'Biomedical Sciences'.
Molecular Infection Biology
Medical Biometry is the branch of science that deals with the statistical analysis of numerical data relating to humans, especially concerning genetic relationships or medical conditions.
Medical Biometry
Pathobiochemistry is an intersiciplinary research area related to both biochemistry and pathology. Research focuses on diseases as a disruption of the ordinary biochemical processes of an organism.
Adapted from https://www.internetchemistry.com/chemistry/pathobiochemistry.php, AL 16.5.2019
Pathobiochemistry
Cariothoracic Surgery is the field of medicine involved in surgical treatment of organs inside the thorax (the chest)—generally treatment of conditions of the heart (heart disease) and lungs (lung disease).
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiothoracic_surgery, AL 12.6.2019
AL: 28.9.17 'Cardiothoracic Surgery' is asserted as a child of Medicine by re3data, and has been further refined by FAIRsharing as a child of Surgery, a class originating in EDAM.
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Medical Physics is the application of physics to healthcare; using physics for patient imaging, measurement and treatment.
Applied Physics in Medicine
Biomedical Physics
Medical Biophysics
EFOMP https://www.efomp.org/index.php?r=pages&id=public, accessed 2.4.2019
AL: 1.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Biomedical Technology and Medical Physics' into 'Medical Physics' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. SRAO already contains 'Biotechnology' which, though slightly broader, may be used in place of 'Biomedical Technology'.
Medical Physics
Molecular Neuroscience is a branch of neuroscience that examines the biology of the nervous system with molecular biology, molecular genetics, protein chemistry and related methodologies.
Nature https://www.nature.com/subjects/molecular-neuroscience, 3.4.2019
AL: 9.4.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Molecular Neuroscience and Neurogenetics' into sibling classes 'Molecular Neuroscience' and 'Neurogenetics' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Molecular Neuroscience
Cellular Neuroscience is the study of neurons at the cellular level. It includes cell morphology and physiological properties such as membrane trafficking, synthesis and transport of proteins, and synaptic plasticity.
Nature https://www.nature.com/subjects/cellular-neuroscience, AL 12.6.2019
Cellular Neuroscience
Systemic Neuroscience is a subdiscipline of Neuroscience and Systems Biology that studies the structure and function of neural circuits and systems. It encompasses a number of areas of study concerned with how nerve cells behave when connected together to form neural pathways, neural circuits, and larger brain networks.
Systems Neuroscience
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_neuroscience, 3.4.2019
AL: 9.4.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Systemic Neuroscience, Computational Neuroscience, Behaviour' into sibling classes 'Systemic Neuroscience' and 'Computational Neuroscience' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. The 'Behaviour' aspect of the original class name is now superceded by 'Biological Psychology'.
Systemic Neuroscience
Comparative Neurobiology is the study of how nervous systems work by comparing the neurobiology of multiple species.
Adapted from https://le.ac.uk/modules/bs3064, AL 12.6.2019
Comparative Neurobiology
Molecular Neurology is the study of the molecular basis of neurology and neurological disorders.
Adapted from https://www.elsevier.com/books/molecular-neurology/waxman/978-0-12-369509-3, AL 12.6.2019
Molecular Neurology
Biological Psychiatry is the branch of psychiatry concerned with the biological basis for mental disorders, typically using physical methods or medication (as opposed to psychotherapy) as treatment.
OED, AL 18.6.2019
Biological Psychiatry
Phytomedicine is a plant-based traditional medicinal practice that uses various plant materials in preventive and therapeutic processes (Wallis, 2005; Ali, 2008). [ScienceDirect https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/nursing-and-health-professions/phytomedicine, AL 6.6.2019]
Phytomedicine
Clinical Veterinary Medicine deals with the observation, diagnosis and treatment of illness, disease or damage through direct interaction with non-human patients.
https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/hesa-subjects/D2, AL 14.05.2019
AL: 14.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Basic Research on Pathogenesis, Diagnostics and Therapy and Clinical Veterinary Medicine' into 'Clinical Veterinary Medicine' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Clinical Veterinary Medicine
Molecular Chemistry is a subject concerned with the synthesis of molecules with new biological or physical properties to address scientific or societal challenges. This research area covers the development of new synthetic methodologies for the synthesis of both natural and novel products. [Adapted from https://www.reading.ac.uk/chemistry/research/chem-molecularchemistry.aspx and https://www.ru.nl/english/education/masters/molecular-chemistry/, AL 18.6.2019]
Molecular Chemistry
Inorganic Molecular Chemistry
17.10.17 AL: 'Organic Molecular Chemistry' is asserted as a child of 'Molecular Chemistry' by re3data, and as a child of 'Organic Chemistry' within FAIRsharing.
Organic Molecular Chemistry
Solid-State Chemistry, also sometimes referred as materials chemistry, is the study of the synthesis, structure, and properties of solid phase materials, particularly, but not necessarily exclusively of, non-molecular solids.
Materials Chemistry
Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid-state_chemistry, 1.4.2019
AL: 10.4.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Chemical Solid State and Surface Research' into 'Physical Chemistry', and refactored the Physical and Theoretical Chemistry hierarchies to reconcile them using non-composite terms according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. Refactored 'Physical Chemistry of Solids and Surfaces, Material Characterisation' into 'Solid-State Chemistry', and 'Surface Science'.
Solid-State Chemistry
Molecular Physical Chemistry is a field of Physical Chemistry concerned primarily with thermodynamics and reaction dynamics and other molecular properties that allow the behaviour of larger groups of molecules to be predicted.
Adapted from Molecular Physical Chemistry: A Concise Introduction 978-0854046195, AL 12.6.2019
AL: 10.4.2019 Refactored the Physical and Theoretical Chemistry hierarchies to reconcile them using non-composite terms according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. Refactored 'Physical Chemistry of Molecules, Interfaces and Liquids - Spectroscopy, Kinetics' into 'Molecular Physical Chemistry' to simplify the term according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Molecular Physical Chemistry
Theoretical Chemistry is the examination of the structural and dynamic properties of molecules and molecular materials using the tools of quantum chemistry, equilibrium and nonequilibrium statistical mechanics and dynamics.
https://chemistry.cornell.edu/theoretical, AL 14.5.2019
AL: 10.4.2019 Refactored 'General Theoretical Chemistry' into 'Theoretical Chemistry' to simplify the term according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Theoretical Chemistry
Biomimetic Chemistry deals with chemical systems that can simulate biological phenomena, particularly catalysis and specificity.
AL: 14.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Biological and Biomimetic Chemistry' into 'Biomimetic Chemistry' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. Also removed Biochemistry as a child and made it a sibling class, as Biochemistry is not a subset of Biomimetic Chemistry.
Biomimetic Chemistry
Food Chemistry is the study of chemical processes and interactions of all biological and non-biological components of foods. The biological substances include such items as meat, poultry, lettuce, beer, and milk as examples. It is similar to biochemistry in its main components such as carbohydrates, lipids, and protein, but it also includes areas such as water, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, food additives, flavors, and colors. [Adapted from Wikipedia, AL 1.4.2019]
AL 11.4.2019: 'Food Chemistry' used to be a child term of the now-deleted 'Biological Chemistry and Food Chemistry' class, which was deleted according to FAIRsharing curation guidelines as it overlapped with 'Food Chemistry' itself.
Food Chemistry
Polymer Research is a subfield of Materials Science concerned with polymers, primarily synthetic polymers such as plastics and elastomers. The field of polymer science includes researchers in multiple disciplines including chemistry, physics, and engineering.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymer_science, AL 21.05.2109
Polymer Research
Polymer Physics is the field of physics that studies polymers, their fluctuations, mechanical properties, as well as the kinetics of reactions involving degradation and polymerisation of polymers and monomers respectively.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymer_physics, 2.4.2019
AL: 21.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Experimental and Theoretical Physics of Polymers' into 'Polymer Physics' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Polymer Physics
Condensed Matter Physics is the field of physics that deals with the macroscopic and microscopic physical properties of matter. In particular it is concerned with the "condensed" phases that appear whenever the number of constituents in a system is extremely large and the interactions between the constituents are strong.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condensed_matter_physics, AL 12.6.2019
Condensed Matter Physics
Experimental Condensed Matter Physics involves the use of experimental probes to try to discover new properties of materials. Such probes include effects of electric and magnetic fields, measuring response functions, transport properties and thermometry.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condensed_matter_physics#Experimental, AL 12.6.2019
Experimental Condensed Matter Physics
Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics involves the use of theoretical models to understand properties of states of matter. These include models to study the electronic properties of solids and the physics of phase transitions. Modern theoretical studies involve the use of numerical computation of electronic structure and mathematical tools to understand phenomena such as high-temperature superconductivity, topological phases, and gauge symmetries.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condensed_matter_physics#Theoretical, AL 12.6.2019
Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics
Atomic, Molecular, Optical and Plasma Physics (AMOP) is the study of matter-matter and light-matter interactions; at the scale of one or a few atoms and energy scales around several electron volts.
AMOP
Adapted from Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic,_molecular,_and_optical_physics, AL 1.4.2019
AL: 8.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Optics, Quantum Optics and Physics of Atoms, Molecules and Plasmas' into 'Atomic, Molecular, Optical and Plasma Physics' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. This 'composite term' is a standard conflation within physics. Optics is very often included in atomic/molecular physics - the standard abbreviation is AMO, which is often seen now as AMOP, which includes plasma physics.
Atomic, Molecular, Optical and Plasma Physics
Particles, Nuclei and Fields are interlinked areas of study within Physics. Particle physics is a research area concerned with the nature of the particles that constitute matter and radiation. Atomic nuclei, together with their constituents and interactions are studied within Nuclear Physics. Fields, in physics, are regions in which each point is affected by a force.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particle_physics, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_physics ; and Encyclopedia Britannica https://www.britannica.com/science/field-physics, AL 16.5.2019
AL 16.5.2019: This 'composite term' (a class describing multiple concepts) is a standard conflation within this research area and is therefore retained. This is in contrast with the general rule within FAIRsharing to refactor composite terms.
Particles, Nuclei and Fields
Soft Matter Physics sits at the interface between chemistry, physics and biology, and includes investigation of the structure, self-assembly, kinetics and properties of liquids, colloids, particles, formulations, gels, foams, sprays, soft solids and interfaces.
Adapted fromhttps://epsrc.ukri.org/research/ourportfolio/researchareas/biophysics/, AL 14.05.2019
Soft Matter Physics
Astronomy and astrophysics are the study of objects and phenomena that are found beyond our solar system. This combines theoretical simulations and observation with both terrestrial and space-craft-borne instruments of the electromagnetic radiation and high-energy particles emitted by celestial bodies.
Nature https://www.nature.com/subjects/astronomy-and-astrophysics, AL 12.6.2019
AL: 20.2.2025 Note that the UAT, which this hierarchy is based on, does not have a top-level term that encompasses all members of the terminology. We need such a term as our AO is broader in scope than just Astronomy and Astrophysics. However, as there is significant overlap in scope among Astronomy subjects and Astrophysics subjects, we are following how the UAT mixes their term hierarchies and keeping Astronomy and Astrophysics as a composite term.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Geoinformatics is the science of developing and using information science infrastructure to address the problems of geography, cartography, geosciences and related branches of science and engineering.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoinformatics, AL 8.5.2019
Geoinformatics
Human Geography is the branch of geography that deals with the activities of mankind as they affect or are influenced by the landscape; (also) the geographical features of a place or region as they relate to or are affected by humans or human activity. [OED, AL 12.6.2019]
Human Geography
Water Research is the study of the science and technology of water quality and its management worldwide. [Elsevier https://www.journals.elsevier.com/water-research, AL 12.6.2019]
Water Research
Industrial engineering is a branch of engineering which deals with the optimization of complex processes, systems, or organizations, to create engineering processes and systems that improve quality and productivity.
Industrial Engineering
Production Technology is a combination of manufacturing technology, engineering sciences with management science.
Wikipedia, PAM 28.02.2018
Production Technology
Metal-Cutting Manufacturing Engineering is the research area concerned with the manufacturing processes in which parts are shaped by removal of unwanted material. It is of great interest for industries such as automotive, aeronautics, aerospace, moulds and dies, and biomedicine.
Adapted from https://www.degruyter.com/view/product/463708, AL 17.6.2019
Metal-Cutting Manufacturing Engineering
Primary Shaping Technology concerns the primary processes within production technology, which convert raw material or scrap to a basic primary shaped and sized product.
Adapted from http://www.minaprem.com/machining/introduction/primary-secondary-and-advanced-manufacturing-processes-examples/, AL 3.4.2019
Primary Shaping Technology
Plastics Engineering encompasses the processing, design, development, and manufacture of plastics products.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastics_engineering, AL 12.6.2019
Plastics Engineering
Thermal Engineering is a study of energy transport particularly in nanoscale structure to obtain knowledge and understanding of the scientific effects on physical world that can engineering discoveries in industrial energy applications.
AL: 20.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Thermal Engineering/Process Engineering' into 'Thermal Engineering' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. 'Process Engineering' already existed within SRAO.
Thermal Engineering
Process Engineering is the understanding and application of the fundamental principles and laws of nature that allow us to transform raw material and energy into products that are useful to society, at an industrial level. Process engineering focuses on the design, operation, control, optimization and intensification of chemical, physical, and biological processes.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Process_engineering, AL 20.5.2019
AL: 20.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Process Engineering, Technical Chemistry' into 'Process Engineering' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. 'Technical Chemistry was already present as a child term.
Process Engineering
Technical Chemistry is a branch of Chemistry dealing with chemical processes in an industrial setting. This includes material development, water resources management, environmental technology, or waste management. It also includes the development and testing of new substances and materials.
Adapted from https://www.tugraz.at/en/studying-and-teaching/degree-and-certificate-programmes/masters-degree-programmes/technical-chemistry/, AL 20.5.2019
Technical Chemistry
Mechanical Process Engineering is a specialization of Process Engineering that deals with product development, design, and manufacturing processes. It involves assessing existing product manufacturing processes and developing new manufacturing processes based on the specifications of new products.
Adapted from https://study.com/articles/mechanical_process_engineer_job_description_salary.html, AL 20.05.2019
Mechanical Process Engineering
Biological Process Engineering is a specialization of Chemical Engineering and Process Engineering that deals with the design and development of equipment and processes for the manufacturing of products such as agriculture, food, feed, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, chemicals, and polymers and paper.
Bioprocess Engineering
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioprocess_engineering, AL 20.5.2019
Biological Process Engineering
Thermal Technology is the technology of producing, storing, controlling, transmitting, and getting work from heat energy.
Heat Energy Technology
https://canvas.instructure.com/courses/838884/pages/unit-3-lesson-8-an-introduction-to-thermal-technology, AL 20.5.2019
AL: 20.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Heat Energy Technology, Thermal Machines, Fluid Mechanics' into 'Thermal Technology' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. 'Fluid Mechanics' was already present within SRAO, and 'Thermal Machines' is not currently within scope.
Thermal Technology
Energy Engineering covers the broad field of engineering dealing with energy efficiency, energy services, facility management, plant engineering, environmental compliance and alternative energy technologies, focussing on design, operation, control and optimization of energy use.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_engineering, PAM 28.02.2018, updated by AL 20.05.2019
Energy Engineering
Fluid Mechanics the branch of mechanics dealing with the flow of liquids and gases and the way they respond to and exert forces.
OED, AL 20.5.2019
Fluid Mechanics
Materials Engineering is a research area concerned with the production of specifications for materials as well as their design, processing and application.
Adapted from https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/job-descriptions/276077-materials-engineer-job-description, AL 18.6.2019
Materials Engineering
Thermomechanical Processing is a metallurgical process that combines mechanical or plastic deformation process like compression or forging, rolling etc. with thermal processes like heat-treatment, water quenching, heating and cooling at various rates into a single process.
Adapted from Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermomechanical_processing, AL 28.3.19
Thermomechanical Processing
Sintering is the process of compacting and forming a solid mass of material by heat or pressure without melting it to the point of liquefaction. Within materials engineering, sintering is a manufacturing process used with metals, ceramics, plastics, and other materials.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sintering, AL 2.4.2019
AL: 7.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Sintered Metallic and Ceramic Materials' into 'Sintering' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Sintering
A composite material (also called a composition material or shortened to composite, which is the common name) is a material made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties that, when combined, produce a material with characteristics different from the individual components. The individual components remain separate and distinct within the finished structure.
Wikipedia, PAM 01.03.2018
Composite Materials
Mechanical Behaviour of Construction is the study of the mechnical behaviour of materials used in construction.
Mechanical Behaviour of Construction Materials
Coating and Surface Technology covers the technology surround any mixture of film-forming materials, including pigments, solvents, and other additives.
Adapted from Britannica, PAM 01.03.2018
AL 14.5.2019: Please note that this composite term is correct with regards to the subject area, and therefore has not been modified to have a singular form.
Coating and Surface Technology
Materials Science is the scientific study of the properties and applications of materials of construction or manufacture (such as ceramics, metals, polymers, and composites.
Merriam Webster Dictionary. PAM 27.02.2018
AL 10.4.2019: Placement within the hierarchy follows FAIRsharing curation choices; we have split 'Materials Science and Engineering' to better focus on the various subjects that are primarily either Materials Engineering or Materials Science. On 23.5.18, the parent term 'Construction Engineering' was added.
Materials Science
Functional Materials Research is concerned with materials which possess particular native properties and functions of their own, such as ferroelectricity, piezoelectricity, magnetism or energy storage functions. Functional materials are found in all classes of materials: ceramics, metals, polymers and organic molecules. Functional materials are often used in electromagnetic applications from KHz to THz and at optical frequencies where the plasmonic properties of metals assume particular importance. Functional materials are also of critical importance in materials for energy such as electro- and magnetocaloric materials, for energy storage and for solar harvesting functions.
Adapted from http://www.imperial.ac.uk/materials/research/functional/, AL 14.5.2019
AL: 14.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Synthesis and Properties of Functional Materials' into 'Functional Materials Research' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Functional Materials Research
Microstructural Mechanical Properties of Materials is a field of research concerned with the properties and structure of a material's surface as revealed by a microscope above 25× magnification. The microstructure of a material (such as metals, polymers, ceramics or composites) can strongly influence physical properties such as strength, toughness, ductility, hardness, corrosion resistance, high/low temperature behaviour or wear resistance. These properties in turn govern the application of these materials in industrial practice.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microstructure, 12.6.2019
Microstructural Mechanical Properties of Materials
Materials Structuring and Functionalisation is a type of Materials Science where surfaces of materials attain desired functionalities through the use of surface structuring.
Adapted from https://www.lzh.de/en/services-for-industry/functionalization-and-structuring-of-surfaces, AL 3.4.2019
AL: 11.4.2019 Renamed re3data class 'Structuring and Functionalisation' into the more descriptive 'Materials Structuring and Functionalisation'. Definitions and common usage show that the composite term 'Materials Structuring and Functionalisation' should not be further divided.
Materials Structuring and Functionalisation
Systems Engineering is concerned with the investigation of complex, man-made systems in relation to the apparatus that is or might be involved in them.
Oxford English Dictionary, PAM 27.02.2018
Systems Engineering
Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of engineering and science that deals with the design, construction, operation, and use of robots, as well as computer systems for their control, sensory feedback, and information processing.
Mechatronics
AL, modified from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robotics, accessed 26.11.18
21.1.19 Changes to the label, synonyms and definition of this class reference the following issue: https://github.com/FAIRsharing/subject-ontology/issues/11
Robotics
Measurement Systems describes the field of study concerned with collections of units of measurement and rules relating them to each other. Systems of measurement have historically been important, regulated and defined for the purposes of science and commerce. Systems of measurement in modern use include the metric system, the imperial system, and United States customary units.
Measurement Systems
Microsystems is the name commonly used in Europe to describe the same technology which goes under the name MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) in the US. In Japan, this field is often termed micromachines. Microsystems are miniaturized (silicon or polymer) devices which perform electrical and non-electronic functions: typically sensing and actuation.
Microsystems
Human-Machine Systems Engineering is a type of systems engineering which focuses on how the functions of a human operator (or a group of operators) and a machine are integrated.
Adapted from Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human%E2%80%93machine_system, AL 23.3.2019
Human-Machine Systems Engineering
Component Engineering is an Electrical Engineering discipline primarily used to ensure the availability of suitable components required to manufacture a larger product.
Electronic Semiconductors, Components, Circuits, Systems
Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_engineering, 23.3.19
AL: 8.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Electronic Semiconductors, Components, Circuits, Systems' into 'Component Engineering' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Component Engineering
Telecommunications Engineering is a subfield of Electrical Engineering that encompasses modes of communication such as satellites, radio, internet and broadband technologies and wireless telephone services. It also deals with wireless modes of communication and information transfer, such as wireless telephony services, radio and satellite communications, and internet and broadband technologies.
Communication Engineering
Adapted from https://gradireland.com/careers-advice/job-descriptions/communications-engineer and Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecommunications_engineering, AL 2.4.2019
AL: 8.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Communication, High-Frequency and Network Technology, Theoretical Electrical Engineering' into 'Telecommunication Engineering' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Telecommunication Engineering
Power Engineering is a subfield of Electrical Engineering that deals with the generation, transmission, distribution and utilization of electric power, and the electrical apparatus connected to such systems.
Power Systems Engineering
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_engineering, AL 8.5.2019
AL: 8.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Electrical Energy Generation, Distribution, Application' into 'Power Engineering' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Power Engineering
Theoretical Computer Science is a subset of general computer science and mathematics that focuses on more mathematical topics of computing and includes the theory of computation.
Theoretical Computer Science
Computer Architecture is a field concerned with the set of rules and methods that describe the functionality, organization, and implementation of computer systems.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_architecture, AL 2.4.2019
AL: 8.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Computer Architecture and Embedded Systems' into 'Computer Architecture' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Computer Architecture
Construction Engineering - a professional discipline that deals with the designing, planning, construction, and management of infrastructures such as roads, tunnels, bridges, airports, railroads, facilities, buildings, dams, utilities and other projects. Construction Engineering is considered a professional sub-practice area of civil engineering or architectural engineering.
Construction Engineering
Construction History is the history of how not only buildings are constructed, but also the construction of civil engineering and infrastructure. As such, it includes bridges, sewers, power stations, mills etc. as well as conventional buildings. In particular, the subject focuses on how these objects were constructed.
Adapted from http://www.constructionhistory.co.uk/about-construction-history-society/construction-history/, AL 08.05.18
AL 24.5.18: The original "Architecture, Building and Construction History, Sustainable Building Technology, Building Design" class from re3data has been split into "Construction History", "Sustainable Building Technology" and "Building Design". "Architecture" is now the parent class, "Building and Construction History" have been consolidated into a single class to align with community usage and to remove it as a compound term. Removal of compound terms aligns with FAIRsharing best practices.
Construction History
Transport Planning is the process of defining future policies, goals, investments, and designs to prepare for future needs to move people and goods to destinations. It is involved with the evaluation, assessment, design, and siting of transport facilities (generally streets, highways, bike lanes, and public transport lines).
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transportation_planning, AL 08.05.18
Transportation Planning
Building Engineering Physics investigates the areas of natural science that relate to the energy performance of buildings and their indoor and outdoor environments. The understanding and application of Building Engineering Physics allows us to design and construct high performance buildings which are comfortable and functional, yet use natural resources efficiently and minimise the environmental impacts of their construction and operation. It is related to Architecture, Structural Engineering and Building Services Engineering.
Construction Material Sciences
https://www.raeng.org.uk/news/news-releases/2010/January/engineering-a-low-carbon-built-environment, AL 08.05.18
AL 15.11.21: Removed re3data alternative term "Construction Material Sciences, Chemistry, Building Physics" and added "Construction Material Sciences", as the full term from re3data combined a number of different research aspects.
AL 23.5.18: Renamed to align with FAIRsharing best practices. "Building Engineering Physics" was chosen rather than 'Building Physics' to match what appears to be common usage within the community.
Building Engineering Physics
Structural Engineering is a sub-discipline of civil engineering in which structural engineers are trained to understand, predict, and calculate the stability, strength and rigidity of built structures for buildings and nonbuilding structures, to develop designs and integrate their design with that of other designers, and to supervise construction of projects on site.
AL 23.5.18: The original "Structural Engineering, Building Informatics, Construction Operation" class from re3data has been split into "Structural Engineering" and "Building Informatics". Removal of compound terms aligns with FAIRsharing best practices. "Construction Operation" has been removed until it is clear what re3data intend with this discipline.
Structural Engineering
Applied Mechanics is the practical application of mechanics and bridges the gap between physical theory and its application to technology. It is used in many fields of engineering, especially Mechanical Engineering and Civil Engineering.
Adapted from Wikipedia, PAM 27.02.2018, updated AL 21.05.2019
AL: 11.4.2019 Refactored 'Applied Mechanics, Statics and Dynamics' into 'Applied Mechanics' to simplify the term according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Applied Mechanics
Geotechnics is the application of science and technology to the management and utilization of the earth's physical resources. It is the application of scientific methods and engineering principles to the acquisition, interpretation, and use of knowledge of materials of the Earth's crust and earth materials for the solution of engineering problems and the design of engineering works.
[Oxford English Dictionary, AL 08.05.18] and [Wikipedia, PAM 27.02.2018]
Geotechnics
Maritime Engineering is a broad-based research area focusing on the study and investigation of engineering systems operating in the maritime environment.
University of Southampton https://www.southampton.ac.uk/engineering/what_we_do/maritime_engineering_and_ship_science.page, AL 22.05.18
AL 22.5.18: This class has been created based on requirements from FAIRsharing records rather than via the re3data import.
Maritime Engineering
Aerospace Engineering is the field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerospace_engineering, AL 22.05.18
Aerospace Engineering
Building Informatics is an application of advanced information and knowledge handling techniques to construction management.
Construction Informatics
http://www.reading.ac.uk/nmsruntime/saveasdialog.aspx?lID=36891&sID=195542&ContentStatus=1, AL 21.05.2019
Building Informatics
Landscape Planning is concerned with developing landscaping amongst competing land uses while protecting natural processes and significant cultural and natural resources.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landscape_planning, AL 08.05.18
AL 24.5.18: The original "Urbanism, Spatial Planning, Transportation and Infrastructure Planning, Landscape Planning" class from re3data has been split into "Urban Planning", "Transportation Planning" and "Landscape Planning". Urbanism and Spatial Planning have been consolidated into a single class as it provides an appropriate level of detail for FAIRsharing users. Removal of compound terms aligns with FAIRsharing best practices.
Landscape Planning
Sustainable Building Technology is the application of processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from planning to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. This requires close cooperation of the contractor, the architects, the engineers, and the client at all project stages.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_building, AL 08.05.18
Sustainable Building Technology
Building Design refers to the broadly based architectural, engineering and technical applications to the design of buildings.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building_design, AL 08.05.18
Building Design
Materials Informatics employs techniques, tools, and theories drawn from the emerging fields of data science, internet, computer science and engineering, and digital technologies to the materials science and engineering to accelerate materials, products and manufacturing innovations.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10845-018-1392-0, AL accessed 10.9.18
Materials Informatics
Neurogenetics studies the role of genetics in the development and function of the nervous system.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurogenetics, 3.4.2019
Neurogenetics
Computational Neuroscience is the field of study in which mathematical tools and theories are used to investigate brain function. It can also incorporate diverse approaches from a number of additional disciplines (such as computer science) in order to understand how the nervous system processes information.
Nature https://www.nature.com/subjects/computational-neuroscience, 3.4.2019; adapted 28.4.23 to remove explicit references to Physics, as this is an edge case, by AL
AL 28.4.2023: Refactored this class to remove the parents 'Physics' and 'Electrical Engineering, which were leading to misclassifications as listed https://github.com/FAIRsharing/subject-ontology/issues/71
Computational Neuroscience
Mathematical Psychology is an approach to psychological research that is based on mathematical modeling of perceptual, thought, cognitive and motor processes, and on the establishment of law-like rules that relate quantifiable stimulus characteristics with quantifiable behavior.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_psychology, 3.4.2019
AL: 9.4.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'General, Biological and Mathematical Psychology' into sibling classes 'Biological Psychology' and 'Mathematical Psychology' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Mathematical Psychology
Industrial and Organisational Psychology is the science of human behaviour relating to work and applies psychological theories and principles to organizations and individuals in their places of work as well as the individual's work-life more generally.
I/O Psychology
Occupational Psychology
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_and_organizational_psychology, 3.4.2019
Industrial and Organisational Psychology
Surface Science is the study of physical and chemical phenomena that occur at the interface of two phases, including solid–liquid interfaces, solid–gas interfaces, solid–vacuum interfaces, and liquid–gas interfaces. [Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_science, 1.4.2019]
Surface Science
Area Studies is a type of multidisciplinary social research focusing on specific geographic regions or culturally defined areas. Area studies typically draw on disciplines such as political science, history, sociology, ethnology, geography, linguistics, literature, and cultural studies.
Adapted from Encyclopedia Britannica https://www.britannica.com/topic/area-studies, AL 11.4.2019
AL 11.4.19: This class has been created based on hierarchy requirements from FAIRsharing rather than via the re3data import.
Area Studies
American Studies is an interdisciplinary field of scholarship that examines American history, society, and culture. It traditionally incorporates the study of history, literature, and critical theory, but also welcomes research methods from a variety of other disciplines. Scholarship in American studies has most often concerned the United States. In the past decades, however, it has also sought to study other nations and territories in the Americas, as well as American interactions with countries across the globe.
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_studies, AL 11.4.2019
American Studies
Oceania Studies is the study of the Pacific region across academic disciplines. In the fields of anthropology and linguistics, Oceania is often subdivided into Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, while also including Australasia. In archeology and prehistory, Oceania extends into the southern Pacific Rim of Asia, especially the islands now comprising Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Taiwan.
Pacific Studies
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_studies, AL 11.4.2019
Oceania Studies
Arabian Studies is the study of the Arabian region including the Gulf, the Red Sea and Arabia.
Arabian Studies
Jewish Studies is an academic discipline centered on the study of Jews and Judaism.
Judaic Studies
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_studies, AL 11.4.2019
Jewish Studies
Diabetology is a branch of medicine dealing with the study and treatment of diabetes mellitus.
Adapted from OED, AL 2.4.2019
AL: 1.5.2019 Refactored re3data composite class 'Endocrinology, Diabetology' into parent 'Endocrinology' and child 'Diabetology' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises.
Diabetology
Theatre Studies (sometimes referred to as theatrology or dramatics) is the study of theatrical performance in relation to its literary, physical, psycho-biological, sociological, and historical contexts.
Theatrology
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre_studies, AL 14.5.2019
AL 14.5.2019: Refactored 'Theatre and Media Studies' to sibling classes 'Theatre Studies' and 'Media Studies' to align with FAIRsharing curation best practices.
Theatre Studies
Data Integration involves combining data residing in different sources and providing users with a unified view of them. [Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_integration, AL 14.5.2019]
AL: 14.5.2019 Refactored EDAM composite class 'Data Integration and Warehousing' (topic_3366) with a SRAO IRI and renamed it 'Data Integration' according to FAIRsharing curation best practises. The EDAM term was determined to not align with FAIRsharing best practices.
Data Integration
Food Process Engineering is a field of study focusing on the applications of engineering principles and concepts to food and food processes. The processes include any physical properties and changes to the food product that result in preservation of the food, extending to transportation, product shelf-life, or improvements in the product quality attributes.
Adapted from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/17454530/homepage/productinformation.html, AL 14.5.2019
Food Process Engineering
Statistical Physics is a branch of physics that uses probability theory and statistics to solve physical problems that usually involve systems composed of a large number of units. Its main purpose is to study the properties of a system from the statistical behaviour of its components.
Nature https://www.nature.com/subjects/statistical-physics, AL 14.05.2019
Statistical Physics
Angiology is the medical specialty which studies the diseases of the circulatory system and of the lymphatic system, i.e., arteries, veins and lymphatic vessels, and its diseases.
Vascular Medicine
Adapted from Wikipedia, AL 20.5.2019
Angiology
Legal History is the study of how law has evolved and why it changed.
History of Law
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_history, AL 21.05.2019
Legal History
American Literature is literature written or produced in the United States of America and its preceding colonies.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_literature, AL 21.05.2019
American Literature
Cultural Studies is a field of theoretically, politically, and empirically engaged cultural analysis that concentrates upon the political dynamics of contemporary culture, its historical foundations, defining traits, conflicts, and contingencies. Cultural studies researchers generally investigate how cultural practices relate to wider systems of power associated with or operating through social phenomena, such as ideology, class structures, national formations, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, and generation.
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_studies, AL 21.05.2019
Cultural Studies
Ancient Near Eastern Studies is the field of academic study of the Ancient Near East.
ANE Studies
Adapted from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Near_East_studies, AL 21.05.2019
Ancient Near Eastern Studies
Orthopedic Surgery is the branch of surgery broadly concerned with the skeletal system (bones and joints).
NCIT http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/NCIT_C16942, AL 18.6.2019
AL 18.6.2019: The NCIT class used as the source of this definition conflates 'Orthopedics' and 'Orthopedic Surgery', whereas we have two separate classes. Therefore we used the definition, but not the NCIT IRI.
Orthopedic Surgery
Community Care research is concerned with services that are intended to help people who need care and support to live with dignity and independence in the community and to avoid social isolation. The services are aimed at the elderly and those who have mental illness, learning disability and physical disability. The main aim in providing community care services is to enable people to remain living in their own homes and to retain as much independence as possible, avoiding social isolation.
Care in the Community
https://patient.info/doctor/community-care, AL 21.05.2019
Community Care
Epigenetics is the study of the chemical modification of specific genes or gene-associated proteins of an organism. [Encyclopedia Britannica https://www.britannica.com/science/epigenetics, AL 10.06.2019]
AL 10.6.2019: The EDAM class http://edamontology.org/topic_3295 had been used for this subject, but was refactored to a SRAO IRI, as the EDAM synonyms were not appropriate for FAIRsharing's requirements.
Epigenetics
The discovery, development and approval of medicines.
EDAM http://edamontology.org/topic_3376, AL 11.6.2019
AL 11.6.2019: The source of the definition for this class was EDAM. The EDAM class whose definition was used was unsuitable for SRAO as its synonyms included 'Drug Discovery' and 'Drug Develoment', a subject described elsewhere in SRAO and not a synonym according to FAIRsharing curation guidelines.
Medicines Research and Development
Safety Science is the study of the science and technology of human and industrial safety. It extends from safety of people at work to other spheres, such as transport, energy or infrastructures, as well as every other field of man's hazardous activities.
Elsevier https://www.journals.elsevier.com/safety-science, AL 11.6.2019
AL 11.6.2019: This class has been refactored from EDAM to SRAO to better align with FAIRsharing curation guidelines.
Safety Science
Endocrinology is a branch of medicine concerned with the structure, function, and disorders of the endocrine glands.
Merriam-Webster https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/endocrinology, AL 11.6.2019
Endocrinology
Medical Virology is the study of the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases from a clinical and laboratory perspective, with particular interest in infection control, medical microbiology and public health.
Adapted from Royal College of Pathologists https://www.rcpath.org/resourceLibrary/medical-virology-incorporating-cit-curriculum.html, AL 20.5.2020
Medical Virology
Subject Agnostic provides a way of describing research and resources that are applicable across all subject areas. Please note that this term does not, by default, mean that an object tagged with it is completely generic. Example: "JPEG" is Subject Agnostic, which means that the resource is applicable regardless of subject, but it does not mean that it can or should be used for any type of data.
Allyson Lister 15.11.21
Subject Agnostic
The planning or specification for the construction of an object, system, device or tool used for scientific purposes, including the study of both natural phenomena and theoretical research. May include the result of the plan or specification in the form of a prototype, product or process.
Created by https://github.com/only1chunts and adapted from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_instrument, 8.7.21
Added as a result of the discussion at https://github.com/FAIRsharing/subject-ontology/issues/64
Scientific Instrument Design
Metataxonomics is the high-throughput process used to characterize the entire microbiota and create a metataxonomic tree, which shows the relationships between all sequences obtained. While viruses are an integral part of the microbiota, no universal viral marker genes are available to perform such taxonomic assignments.
Metataxonomics
Metaproteomics refers to the large-scale characterization of the entire protein complement of environmental or clinical samples at a given point in time. The method indiscriminately identifies proteins from the microbiota and the host/environments (metagenome). Computational analyses afford assignments of these proteins to their biological origins. It is often performed using liquid-chromatography-based separation coupled to mass spectrometry for peptide identification.
Metaproteomics
Selenography is the study of the surface and physical features of the Moon.
Lunar Science
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topography_of_the_Moon, DD 6.5.21
See also https://github.com/FAIRsharing/subject-ontology/issues/53
Selenography
AL 20.2.25: refactored so that the UAT IRI could be used for Cosmology instead.
Electromagnetism is a branch of physics involving the study of the electromagnetic force, a type of physical interaction that occurs between electrically charged particles.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetism, DD 6.5.21
Electromagnetism
Gemology or gemmology is the science dealing with natural and artificial gemstone materials. It is considered a geoscience and a branch of mineralogy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemology, DD 6.5.21
Gemology
Bathymetry is the study of underwater depth of ocean floors or lake floors.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bathymetry, DD 6.5.21
Bathymetry
Hydrography is the branch of applied sciences which deals with the measurement and description of the physical features of oceans, seas, coastal areas, lakes and rivers, as well as with the prediction of their change over time, for the primary purpose of safety of navigation and in support of all other marine activities, including economic development, security and defense, scientific research, and environmental protection.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrography, DD 6.5.21
Hydrography