NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Dell, the Translational Genomics Research Institute, and Terascala will provide the National Cancer Institute with a high performance computing system, programming applications, expertise, and software to support genomics research projects, TGen said today.
Dell will provide NCI's Oncogenomics Section with the Dell Genomic Data Analysis Platform for rapid analysis of sequencing data, and TGen will provide computing and bioinformatics support.
Under the arrangement, NCI will give TGen access to more than 800 sequenced child cancer genomes that TGen will use in its ongoing pediatric cancer research projects.
NCI's Oncogenomics Section uses genomic and proteomic methods to improve outcomes for children with high-risk metastatic, refractory, and recurrent cancers.
The new computing system at NCI will be used to house pediatric cancer data in a user-friendly database, and an RNAseq and immunohistochemistry database for the Stand Up to Cancer Pediatric Dream team. Also, the system will be used as a computational server for a precision therapy trial to be conducted with the Children's Oncology Group, and as a computational server for a precision therapy trial conducted with the Center for Cancer Research.
Dell said the new system at NCI will host the "largest collection of clinically annotated pediatric cancer genomic data ever to be released to the scientific community."
The Dell HPC cluster will include TeraScala's TeraOS and its Lustre storage system.
The system will enable precision therapy trials for children and adults with lethal cancers and will provide clinically annotated high-resolution genomics data for basic research projects.
Terascala CEO Steve Butler said in a statement that the HPC system will provide a "much faster and more efficient workflow for NCI researchers," which will enable them to "accelerate their work resulting in a faster timeline in breakthroughs in the battle against cancer."
TGen has been using Dell's technologies to support its pediatrics oncology research project with the Neuroblastoma and Medulloblastoma Translational Research Consortium and the Van Andel Research Institute since 2011.