Inside the sequence universe: the amazing life of data and the people who look after them

摘要: This thesis provides an ethnographic exploration of two large nucleotide sequence databases, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory Bank, UK and GenBank, US. It describes analyses their complex bioinformatic environments as well material-discursive – objects, narratives practices that recursively constitute these databases. In doing so, it unravels a rich bioinformational ecology “sequence universe”. Here, mosquitoes have mumps, louse is “huge” self-styled information plumbers patch-up high-throughput data pipelines while curators battle indiscriminate coming-to-life caused by metagenomics. Given intensification production, biosciences reached point where concerns squarely turned to fundamental questions about how know within between all data. assembles database imaginary, recovering inventive terms scholarly engagement with databases data, remain critical without necessarily reverting logic. Science studies related disciplines, investigating illustrious projects like Biobank, developed sustained critique perceived conflation bodies argues accounts forego sui generis, situated arrangement people, things, routines spaces. shows histories continue established collecting curating. At same time, maps entanglements experiments discovery thereby demonstrates vibrancy Focusing on question what happens at follows programmers but also records entities documented them, such uncultured bacteria. contextualises findings literature sociology philosophy science technology making references works art in order bring into relief boundary-defying scope issues raised.