SGI Launches Genomics Marketing Campaign
Posted on Tue, Feb 14, 2012 @ 09:30 AM
SGI systems have been used for everything from designing and manufacturing safer and more efficient cars and airplanes to studying global climate change to creating a Pixar film. It wasn’t until the last 5 years that they made their way into the field of Genomics. In fact, on February 2,2012 SGI announced that it has initiated a global, integrated marketing campaign targeting genomic researchers and institutions. With its’ slogan, “Because the world should not have to wait for answers,” the campaign was created with the hopes that they would be able to share information about how SGI high performance computing and storage solutions can improve the speed and scale of genomics research.
As scientists seek to accelerate sequencing genomes of varied arrays of organisms from oceanic parasites to cancer cells in an effort to unfold the causes and cures of diseases that plague mankind, SGI is already powering research in genome centers around the world. Leading institutions, including the Institute of Cancer Research in London and Mountain-View, Translational Genomics Research Institute in Phoenix, Ariz., and the China National Human Genome Center in Shanghai, just to name a few have already turned to SGI high-performance computing and storage solutions to create an optimal workflow for faster time to discovery.
The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) uses the SGI Altix 4700 system to assist them in discovering the differences and changes within the genome that trigger disease. SGI stated that TGen reported, "Benchmarks run on Melanoma gene expression dataset consisting of about 8,000 genes from several dozens of samples,” using the SGI Altix 4700, “…the analysis time was reduced 'time of completion' from seven days to seven hours and generated several statistically significant gene groups identified that are being investigated further by the life scientists and computational biologists. We are very optimistic that such speed improvements will be critical in expediting translational research and help scientists explore a larger solution space by analyzing larger datasets in the future."
Dr. Zhou, Deputy Director of Bioinformatics Department, at the China National Human Genome Center reported, "Shortened time to results is critical to our success. With the blood fluke genome research, we have 300 million base pairs to study, and have 6-7 times more calculations in each step. The large shared memory and ease-of-use with SGI RASC and SGI server and storage systems enables our scientists to focus on achieving results faster and not spending valuable time on computer science."
Until now, genome researcher lacked the ability to fully digest and mesh genome data with additional information from sources both structured and unstructured. Trying to analyze genome databases, imaging, microscopy, mass spectrometry, research notes all at once limits the insights they can gain. SGI’s CMO Franz Aman stated “Researchers need an approach that allows them to create, process, analyze, store, and share data in an easy and low-cost fashion. They want to remain genomics researchers, and not become computer scientists. This campaign pays tribute to their efforts and highlights the solutions available today."
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