[citation needed] The scope of the FGED Society includes data generated using any functional genomics technology when applied to genome-scale studies of gene expression, binding, modification and other related applications.

[citation needed] The MGED name was legally changed in 2007 to Microarray and Gene Expression Data Society to emphasize a broader scope.

[citation needed] In July 2010, the society voted to change its name to the "Functional Genomics Data (FGED) Society" to reflect its current mission which goes beyond microarrays and gene expression to encompass data generated using any functional genomics technology applied to genomic-scale studies of gene expression, binding, modification (such as DNA methylation), and other related applications.

These standards are designed to improve the annotation, communication, and sharing of data and findings from such experiments within the life science research community.

A new version, MAGE-TAB, has been developed to be easier to understand and generate by data producers as it is in a format (tab-delimited) that can be viewed and edited using widely available spreadsheet software, such as Microsoft Excel.

[7] The FGED Society has held its annual meeting at venues around the world since 1999, coordinating with a local scientific organization that provides space for talks, poster sessions, workshops, and tutorials.