Cataloging Epitope Data: A glimpse into the manual curation efforts of the IEDB team in 2026 2309343
The Immune Epitope Database and Analysis Resource (IEDB, iedb.org) and its sibling resource, the Cancer Epitope Database and Analysis Resource (CEDAR, cedar.iedb.org), are platforms created and maintained for the benefit of the scientific community, allowing open access to organized epitope data that is then utilized to power the associated epitope prediction tools. The foundation of the curation process is in staying current with published research literature, our primary source of epitope data, and in structuring the data according to associated data ontologies. The process for inputting data includes identification, categorization, curation, peer review, and systemic quality control and validation steps. The curation process results in databases that reflect the epitope literature in the areas of infectious disease, autoimmunity, allergy, transplantation, and cancer. Here, we detail the data input process with a focus on the manual curation efforts of the expert curation team, including the recent addition of CAR-T cell epitopes, updates to non-peptidic curation, and new quality-control processes for cell lines. These improvements help ensure end-users are getting the greatest benefit possible from the IEDB and CEDAR. NIH/NIAID (75N93019C00001), and NIH/NCI (U24CA248138) Technological Innovations in Immunology (TECH)