Metadata, often termed "data about data," is crucial for organizing, understanding, and managing vast omics datasets. It aids in efficient data discovery, integration, and interpretation, enabling users to access, comprehend, and utilize data effectively. Its significance spans the domains of scientific research, facilitating data reproducibility, reusability, and secondary analysis. However, numerous perceptual and technical barriers hinder the sharing of metadata among researchers. These barriers compromise the reliability of research results and hinder integrative meta-analyses of omics studies . This study highlights the key barriers to metadata sharing, including the lack of uniform standards, privacy and legal concerns, limitations in study design, limited incentives, inadequate infrastructure, and the dearth of well-trained personnel for metadata management and reuse. Proposed solutions include emphasizing the promotion of standardization, educational efforts, the role of journals and funding agencies, incentives and rewards, and the improvement of infrastructure. More accurate, reliable, and impactful research outcomes are achievable if the scientific community addresses these barriers, facilitating more accurate, reliable, and impactful research outcomes.

翻译：元数据常被称为"关于数据的数据"，对于组织、理解和管理海量组学数据集至关重要。它有助于高效的数据发现、集成和解读，使用户能够有效访问、理解和利用数据。其重要性贯穿科学研究领域，为数据可重复性、可重用性和二次分析提供支持。然而，众多认知和技术障碍阻碍了研究人员之间的元数据共享。这些障碍不仅损害了研究结果的可靠性，也制约了组学研究的整合性荟萃分析。本研究揭示了元数据共享的关键障碍，包括缺乏统一标准、隐私与法律问题、研究设计局限性、激励机制不足、基础设施不完善以及元数据管理与重用专业人才匮乏。提出的解决方案包括：强调整体标准化推进、开展教育培训、发挥期刊与资助机构作用、完善激励奖励机制以及改善基础设施。若科学界能有效应对这些障碍，将有助于实现更精准、可靠且具影响力的研究成果。