Governing Genomic Data : Plea for an 'Open Commons'

In their foundational paper, 'Constructing Commons in the Cultural Environment', Madison, Frischmann and Strandburg develop a theoretical framework for analyzing and systematizing constructed cultural commons, thereby tilting the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework approach, originally developed by Ostrom and her colleagues for natural resource commons, in a new direction. The present paper explores how genomics research may be understood looking through their analytical lens. Based on their adapted framework, and insightful views of other authors, the paper takes the view that the optimal design for protecting, sharing and managing genomic data is an 'Open Commons' approach