Web of Biological Data Act of 2026

This bill directs the Department of Energy to fund the creation of a centralized biological data platform called the Web of Biological Data, managed by a national laboratory selected through a competitive grant process. The platform would provide a single access point for federally funded biological research data and support advanced analysis using artificial intelligence. Implementation would roll out in two phases over five years with independent cybersecurity oversight and an advisory board.

Biological and biomedical researchers at universities, national laboratories, and private companies who rely on federally funded data. It also involves federal agencies including the Department of Energy, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the National Library of Medicine.

Researchers would gain unified access to federally funded biological datasets, potentially accelerating scientific discovery in medicine, agriculture, and public health through AI-based analysis. The program is authorized at approximately $420 million over five years.