How Are ELIXIR Platforms, Communities and Focus Groups Different?
ELIXIR organises its technical and scientific collaboration through three distinct structures: Platforms are networks of technical experts drawn from ELIXIR Nodes that coordinate technical activities; Communities are expert groups that coordinate activities in key life science areas; and Focus Groups are time-limited groups addressing topics of emerging interest. In short, Platforms are organised around technical domains, Communities around scientific fields, and Focus Groups around time-bound topics. If you want to know where your expertise fits, the deciding question is whether your work is about a technology, a research domain, or a short-term problem.
The three structures side by side
| Structure | What it is | Basis of organisation | Time horizon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Networks of technical experts from across ELIXIR's Nodes coordinating technical activities | Technical domain | Ongoing |
| Communities | Experts developing ELIXIR's vision and coordinating activities in key life science areas | Scientific/domain area | Ongoing |
| Focus Groups | Groups addressing topics of emerging interest | Specific emerging topic | Time-limited |
Platforms: the technical layer
Platforms bring together technical experts from across ELIXIR's Nodes to coordinate technical activities. They are the mechanism through which technical work is aligned across the infrastructure rather than duplicated country by country.
Choose this layer if your question is "how should this kind of technology or service be run, connected, or improved across ELIXIR?" — the organising principle is the technical capability, not the research field it happens to serve.
Communities: the domain layer
Communities are expert groups that develop ELIXIR's vision and coordinate activities in key life science areas. Where Platforms are defined by technique, Communities are defined by the scientific domain and its needs.
Choose this layer if your interest is a research area — for example, a specific branch of life science data — and you want to shape what ELIXIR does in that field over the long term.
Focus Groups: the time-limited layer
Focus Groups are explicitly time-limited groups that address topics of emerging interest. They exist because some questions matter intensely now but do not warrant a permanent structure.
Choose this layer if you want to contribute to a specific emerging topic without committing to an ongoing body. The built-in end point is the point: the group is expected to resolve, report, or hand off.
How they fit together
The three structures are complementary rather than competing:
- Platforms coordinate how technical work happens across Nodes.
- Communities coordinate what matters in each life science domain.
- Focus Groups handle what's new until it either matures into something more permanent or is concluded.
A single topic can therefore move through more than one structure over time — an emerging issue may start as a Focus Group and, if it proves enduring, become part of a Community's or Platform's ongoing remit.
How to decide where to engage
- Your contribution is a technical capability or service → look at Platforms.
- Your contribution is domain expertise in a life science area → look at Communities.
- Your contribution is tied to a specific, current, emerging topic → look at Focus Groups.
ELIXIR also frames engagement by audience — life scientists looking for open science resources, prospective members, existing members, funders, and EU projects — so it is worth checking which entry point matches your role before choosing a structure.