The Gene Ontology project has the stated mission to form a computational model of biological systems at every level, such as the molecular level and larger pathways. It also states that it intends to make possible the annotation of homologous gene and protein sequences in various organisms using a common vocabulary so that collaboration on genetic research can occur with ease.
The Gene Ontology project is a combination of ontology and annotations. The ontology consists of vocabulary organized by biological function, molecular function, and cellular component. Users of the Gene Ontology can find insights from more than 150,000 published scientific papers. The database can be accessed via the web and contains tools such as software to edit ontologies and analytic tools that that use gene ontology for biomedical research.
Accessing the database on the web, users can use the search bar for a general search on a topic, or specify it by selecting ontology or gene product. Users can also submit research findings by following the protocols stated on the website.