fairgraph: a Python API for the EBRAINS Knowledge Graph¶
fairgraph is a Python library for working with metadata in the EBRAINS Knowledge Graph, with a particular focus on data reuse, although it is also useful in metadata registration/curation. The API is not stable, and is subject to change.
Contents:
Quickstart¶
Installation¶
To get the latest release:
pip install fairgraph
To get the development version:
git clone https://github.com/HumanBrainProject/fairgraph.git
pip install -U ./fairgraph
Basic setup¶
The basic idea of the library is to represent metadata nodes from the Knowledge Graph as Python objects. Communication with the Knowledge Graph service is through a client object, for which an access token associated with an EBRAINS account is needed.
If you are working in a Collaboratory Jupyter notebook, the client will take its access token from the notebook automatically:
>>> from fairgraph import KGClient
>>> client = KGClient(host="core.kg.ebrains.eu")
If working outside the Collaboratory, you will need to obtain a token (for example from the KG Editor if you are a curator, or using clb_oauth.get_token() in a Collaboratory Jupyter notebook) and save it as an environment variable, e.g. at a shell prompt:
export KG_AUTH_TOKEN=eyJhbGci...nPq
and then in Python:
>>> token = os.environ['KG_AUTH_TOKEN']
Once you have a token:
>>> from fairgraph import KGClient
>>> client = KGClient(token)
Retrieving metadata from the Knowledge Graph¶
The different metadata/data types available in the Knowledge Graph are grouped into modules within the openminds module. For example:
>>> from fairgraph.openminds.core import DatasetVersion
Using these classes, it is possible to list all metadata matching a particular criterion, e.g.:
>>> datasets = DatasetVersion.list(client, from_index=10, size=10)
If you know the unique identifier of an object, you can retrieve it directly:
>>> dataset_of_interest = DatasetVersion.from_id("17196b79-04db-4ea4-bb69-d20aab6f1d62", client)
>>> dataset_of_interest.show()
id https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/17196b79-04db-4ea4-bb69-d20aab6f1d62
authors [KGProxy((<class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.actors.organization.Organization'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.actors.person.Person'>), 'https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/56f86f58-add6-4684-aaf1-91083e1165e9'), KGProxy((<class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.actors.organization.Organization'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.actors.person.Person'>), 'https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/3b0ceb13-5bcc-4f1d-8ddb-bd888a85b9c0'), KGProxy((<class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.actors.organization.Organization'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.actors.person.Person'>), 'https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/6e3edece-60bc-4a4a-8399-45b1ee597d71')]
behavioral_protocols None
digital_identifier KGProxy([<class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.miscellaneous.doi.DOI'>], 'https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/c03106e1-1f30-446b-8439-ce77fc8358d6')
ethics_assessment KGProxy([<class 'fairgraph.openminds.controlled_terms.ethics_assessment.EthicsAssessment'>], 'https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/a217a2f8-dcb8-4ca9-9923-517af2aebc5b')
experimental_approachs None
input_data None
is_alternative_version_of None
is_new_version_of None
license KGProxy([<class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.data.license.License'>], 'https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/6ebce971-7f99-4fbc-9621-eeae47a70d85')
preparation_designs None
studied_specimens [KGProxy((<class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.subject.Subject'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.subject_group.SubjectGroup'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.tissue_sample.TissueSample'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.tissue_sample_collection.TissueSampleCollection'>), 'https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/0ca86a6e-6fa0-4840-b62a-994170a9b6d4'), KGProxy((<class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.subject.Subject'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.subject_group.SubjectGroup'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.tissue_sample.TissueSample'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.tissue_sample_collection.TissueSampleCollection'>), 'https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/3907e145-d2d1-42c7-8a05-a58e3dbf326f'), KGProxy((<class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.subject.Subject'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.subject_group.SubjectGroup'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.tissue_sample.TissueSample'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.tissue_sample_collection.TissueSampleCollection'>), 'https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/f1336642-27a5-4e4f-a6f1-979610bd853d'), KGProxy((<class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.subject.Subject'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.subject_group.SubjectGroup'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.tissue_sample.TissueSample'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.tissue_sample_collection.TissueSampleCollection'>), 'https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/a6e2336a-ba1b-4504-b69a-ef12002b2ed4'), KGProxy((<class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.subject.Subject'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.subject_group.SubjectGroup'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.tissue_sample.TissueSample'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.tissue_sample_collection.TissueSampleCollection'>), 'https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/0d54e778-0a6a-4f90-9555-218643dd65a9'), KGProxy((<class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.subject.Subject'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.subject_group.SubjectGroup'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.tissue_sample.TissueSample'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.tissue_sample_collection.TissueSampleCollection'>), 'https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/2675865a-5f7e-4d5f-bc86-c4b8dbd47d58'), KGProxy((<class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.subject.Subject'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.subject_group.SubjectGroup'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.tissue_sample.TissueSample'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.research.tissue_sample_collection.TissueSampleCollection'>), 'https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/94664b6e-8979-4cf6-b358-ff04056a4754')]
techniques None
data_types None
study_targets None
accessibility KGProxy([<class 'fairgraph.openminds.controlled_terms.product_accessibility.ProductAccessibility'>], 'https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/b2ff7a47-b349-48d7-8ce4-cf51868675f1')
copyright None
custodians KGProxy((<class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.actors.organization.Organization'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.actors.person.Person'>), 'https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/762bd286-9d46-4ac5-889f-63b08d33c895')
description The Golgi cells, together with granule cells and mossy fibers, form a neuronal microcircuit regulating information transfer at the cerebellum input stage. In order to further investigate the Golgi cells properties and their excitatory synapses, whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed on acute parasagittal cerebellar slices obtained from juvenile GlyT2-GFP mice (p16-p21). Passive Golgi cells parameters were extracted in voltage-clamp mode by analyzing current relaxation induced by step voltage changes (IV protocol). Excitatory synaptic transmission properties were investigated by electrical stimulation of the mossy fibers bundle (5 pulses at 50 Hz, EPSC protocol, voltage-clamp mode.
full_documentation KGProxy((<class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.miscellaneous.doi.DOI'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.data.file.File'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.miscellaneous.url.URL'>), 'https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/d6cd3981-cdb1-460c-a4e4-29458fe0a47f')
name Whole cell patch-clamp recordings of cerebellar Golgi cells
funding None
homepage None
how_to_cite None
keywords None
other_contributions None
related_publications [KGProxy((<class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.miscellaneous.doi.DOI'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.miscellaneous.isbn.ISBN'>), 'https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/477b3e5d-5903-4a68-84b3-d29e38214ca8'), KGProxy((<class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.miscellaneous.doi.DOI'>, <class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.miscellaneous.isbn.ISBN'>), 'https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/9f1ec274-329a-4a9b-802a-abd301614c2c')]
release_date None
repository KGProxy([<class 'fairgraph.openminds.core.data.file_repository.FileRepository'>], 'https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/80e2ca84-b9fa-43b7-b21a-b5f99d89f051')
alias Whole cell patch-clamp recordings of cerebellar Golgi cells
support_channels None
version_identifier None
version_innovation None
Links between metadata in the Knowledge Graph are not followed automatically,
to avoid unnecessary network traffic, but can be followed with the resolve()
method:
>>> dataset_license = dataset_of_interest.license.resolve(client)
>>> dataset_license.show()
id https://kg.ebrains.eu/api/instances/6ebce971-7f99-4fbc-9621-eeae47a70d85
name Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International
legal_code https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/legalcode
alias CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
webpages ['https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0', 'https://spdx.org/licenses/CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0.html']
The associated metadata are accessible as attributes of the Python objects, e.g.:
>>> print(dataset_of_interest.description)
The Golgi cells, together with granule cells and mossy fibers, form a neuronal microcircuit
regulating information transfer at the cerebellum input stage. In order to further investigate
the Golgi cells properties and their excitatory synapses, whole-cell patch-clamp recordings
were performed on acute parasagittal cerebellar slices obtained from juvenile GlyT2-GFP mice
(p16-p21). Passive Golgi cells parameters were extracted in voltage-clamp mode by analyzing
current relaxation induced by step voltage changes (IV protocol). Excitatory synaptic
transmission properties were investigated by electrical stimulation of the mossy fibers bundle
(5 pulses at 50 Hz, EPSC protocol, voltage-clamp mode.
You can also download any associated data:
>>> dataset.download(client, "local_directory")
Filters¶
The list()
method also allows you to filter the list of metadata objects based on their properties.
For example, to filter by words in a dataset name:
>>> patch_clamp_datasets = DatasetVersion.list(client, name="patch")
>>> for ds in patch_clamp_datasets:
... print(ds.name)
...
Patch-clamp electrophysiological characterization of neurons in human dentate gyrus
Whole cell patch-clamp recordings of cerebellar basket cells
Whole cell patch-clamp recordings of cerebellar Golgi cells
Whole cell patch-clamp recordings of cerebellar granule cells
Whole cell patch-clamp recordings of cerebellar stellate cells
To filter by species, we first need to retrieve the species metadata:
>>> from fairgraph.openminds.controlled_terms import Species
>>> rat = Species.by_name("Rattus norvegicus", client)
We can then use this as a filter:
>>> rat_datasets = DatasetVersion.list(client, study_targets=rat)
To see a list of the properties that can be used for filtering:
>>> DatasetVersion.property_names
['authors', 'behavioral_protocols', 'digital_identifier', 'ethics_assessment',
'experimental_approachs', 'input_data', 'is_alternative_version_of', 'is_new_version_of',
'license', 'preparation_designs', 'studied_specimens', 'techniques', 'data_types',
'study_targets', 'accessibility', 'copyright', 'custodians', 'description',
'full_documentation', 'name', 'funding', 'homepage', 'how_to_cite', 'keywords',
'other_contributions', 'related_publications', 'release_date', 'repository', 'alias',
'support_channels', 'version_identifier', 'version_innovation']
Storing and editing metadata¶
For those users who have the necessary permissions to store and edit metadata in the Knowledge Graph, fairgraph objects can be created or edited in Python, and then saved back to the Knowledge Graph, e.g.:
from fairgraph.openminds.core import Person, Organization, Affiliation
>>> mgm = Organization(name="Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer", alias="MGM")
>>> mgm.save(client, space="myspace")
>>> author = Person(family_name="Laurel", given_name="Stan",
... affiliations=Affiliation(organization=mgm))
>>> author.save(client, space="myspace")
Getting help¶
In case of questions about fairgraph, please e-mail support@ebrains.eu. If you find a bug or would like to suggest an enhancement or new feature, please open a ticket in the issue tracker.
Acknowledgements¶

This open source software code was developed in part or in whole in the Human Brain Project, funded from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation under Specific Grant Agreements No. 720270, No. 785907 and No. 945539 (Human Brain Project SGA1, SGA2 and SGA3).