The IPD Project: a centralised resource for the study of polymorphism in genes of the immune system

The Immuno Polymorphism Database (IPD), https://www.ebi.ac.uk/ipd/, is a set of specialist databases that enable the study of polymorphic genes which function as part of the vertebrate immune system. The major focus is on the hyperpolymorphic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes and the killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genes, by providing the official repository and primary source of sequence data. Databases are centred around humans as well as animals important for food security, for companionship and as disease models. The IPD project works with specialist groups or nomenclature committees who provide and manually curate individual sections before they are submitted for online publication. To reflect the recent advance of allele sequencing technologies and the increasing demands of novel tools for the analysis of genomic variation, the IPD project is undergoing a progressive redesign and reorganisation. In this review, recent updates and future developments are discussed, with a focus on the core concepts to better future-proof the project.