DNAnexus Launches Novel Platform for Human Microbiome Research
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–DNAnexus, Inc., the global leader in genome informatics and data management, today announced the launch of the MOSAIC Microbiome Platform in collaboration with Janssen Research & Development, LLC and its Janssen Human Microbiome Institute (JHMI). The cloud-based platform, which is powered by DNAnexus, provides a secure environment for scientists around the world to collaborate on research, share data and advance methods aimed at increasing understanding of the human microbiome, while accelerating the translation of these insights into healthcare solutions.
Affordable next-generation sequencing technologies have transformed microbiome research, resulting in huge volumes of microbiome-generated data that require advanced computational methods and scalable computational power for their interpretation and analysis. MOSAIC enables scientists to store and manage these datasets securely and efficiently, and to customize workflows for analyses while collaborating with other users to contribute to microbiome science and standards.
“We are proud to help build a vibrant research community inspiring open collaboration and advancement in microbiome-based health solutions,” said Richard Daly, Chief Executive Officer of DNAnexus. “Understanding the metagenomic data associated with the microbiome is a complex and ambitious undertaking that the DNAnexus MOSAIC Platform is well-suited to support. We look forward to working with the global community of scientists committed to finding new microbiome-based solutions with the potential to transform human health.”
To encourage and foster global collaboration focused on advancing the creation of new methods and standards around this emerging area of science, a series of community challenges will be hosted through MOSAIC. Once a challenge is launched, scientists working anywhere in the world can contribute their tools, data, ideas and other resources. MOSAIC is intended to serve as a virtual ecosystem and innovation accelerator for the entire microbiome community, including academic centers, biotech and pharmaceutical companies, as well as life science technology developers and regulatory agencies, in order to collectively advance this rapidly growing field.
MOSAIC, and the first microbiome challenge, will launch and open to participants in the coming months. Those interested in joining the MOSAIC community and participating in the challenges are encouraged to visit www.mosaicbiome.com to learn more. Challenges will address a variety of important topics, including advancing strain-level microbial profiling methods of human samples.
About DNAnexus
DNAnexus combines expertise in computing and bioinformatics to create the global network for genomics, operating in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (including China), South America, and Africa. The secure, scalable, and collaborative DNAnexus Platform helps thousands of researchers across a spectrum of industries – biopharmaceutical, bioagricultural, sequencing services, clinical diagnostics, government, and research consortia – accelerate their genomics programs globally. For more information on DNAnexus, please visit www.dnanexus.com or follow the company @DNAnexus.
