Transposable elements in the era of data science EMBO course: a call for open, accessible, and collaborative TE resources

This community letter represents a collective outcome from the EMBO Practical Course "Transposable Elements in the Era of Data Science" held at the Rosalind Franklin Institute from 12 to 16 May 2025, Didcot, United Kingdom ( https://meetings.embo.org/event/25-transposable-elements ). Written by course speakers together with an instructor representative, it reflects key discussions about the urgent need for open, accessible, and community-driven resources for transposable element (TE) research. This letter outlines key areas where collective action is imperative to accelerate our understanding of TEs and their profound impact on biological systems. In particular, the letter highlights limitations of existing databases, particularly Repbase, and calls for a new open-access platform that also supports non-model species and interoperates with large-scale genomic initiatives. It also underscores the crucial discussion on TE curation and the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in advancing TE research and advocates for a collaborative infrastructure to support the future of TE genomics. A central theme emerging from these discussions was the urgent need for enhanced open science practices, particularly concerning data sharing, tool development, and the establishment of robust, accessible community resources. To this end, we propose a set of strategic suggestions accompanied by practical actions to advance TE research. We hope this letter contributes to the community of TE researchers to discuss the latest advancements and persistent challenges in TE research in a sustainable and equitable manner.