Standards in systems and synthetic biology: status, developments, and tools in 2026

For over a decade, the Journal of Integrative Bioinformatics has published special issues providing updated specifications for standards in systems biology and synthetic biology. Beginning in 2024, the special issues expanded to include novel or refined tools that leverage these standards or play a key role in their implementation. The current special issue contains four updated specifications and two tools or libraries. In addition, this document functions as a comprehensive reference for all COMBINE standard specifications, ensuring researchers and practitioners can access the most up-to-date versions available in the field.