Dryad is delighted to join with PLOS today to announce our partnership with PLOS Biology, as described here on the official PLOS Biology blog, Biologue.  As the first Public Library of Science (PLOS) journal to partner with Dryad to integrate manuscript submission, “PLOS Biology can offer authors a seamless tying together of an article with its underlying data; [and] can also provide confidential access for editors and reviewers to data associated with articles under review.”

Here’s how it works: During manuscript evaluation, PLOS Biology invites authors to deposit the underlying data files in Dryad, sending them a link to Dryad which enables a streamlined upload process (no need to enter the article details).  Authors may deposit complex and varied data types in multiple formats, and these files are then accessible to editors and reviewers by anonymous and secure access during the manuscript review process.  Behind the scenes, the journal’s editorial system and the Dryad repository exchange metadata, ensuring that upon publication, the article links to the associated data in Dryad, and permanently connecting the published article with its securely archived, publicly available data.

Dr. Theodora Bloom, Chief Editor, PLOS Biology, mentions that journals “are uniquely well-placed to help researchers ensure that all data underlying a study are made available alongside any published articles.”

We welcome PLOS Biology authors and editors to Dryad, and look forward to extending this partnership to other PLOS journals.