Richard N. Armstrong talks about the Enzyme Function Initiative EFI and its role in developing a robust strategy to assist in the discovery of enzymatic and metabolic functions of hitherto uncharacterized enzymes. The achievement of EFI’s goals are only feasible due to the multidisciplinary cooperation of the participating scientists. EFI is strongly dependant on the availability of standardized functional data. Richard Armstrong also stresses that the reporting and deposition of high quality data has to be enforced by the community, that is, the funding agencies, the scientific journals, and advocates such as the Commission for Standards for Reporting Ennzymology Data (STRENDA). Richard N. Armstrong is professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry at the Vanderbuilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. His research interests encompass the elucidation of the mechanisms of action of enzymes involved in the metabolism of foreign compounds. More specifically, his research efforts are focused on the cooperation of detoxication enzymes in the metabolism of foreign molecules as well as the enzymology of antibiotic resistance in microorganisms.