Life Technologies Simplifies, Organizes and Speeds Analysis of Genomic Data Through Launch of New LifeScope Bioinformatics Software

CARLSBAD, Calif., May 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Addressing the issue of data overload from next-generation sequencers, Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) today launched its LifeScope™ 2.0 Genomic Analysis Software, a significantly enhanced bioinformatics system for analyzing data from genomic sequencing instruments to study human disease such as cancer.

Information overload

A single next generation sequencing instrument can generate nearly 200 gigabytes of genomic data per week (equivalent to about 50 full-length DVDs), requiring substantial computational horsepower to both process and analyze the data and find the patterns indicated by rare diseases. LifeScope™ offers a highly accurate software solution for genomic data analysis and management, combined with flexible computing options for life scientists and bioinformaticists performing research studies or disease-focused investigations.

“The value of genomic data is only revealed by our ability to make sense of it,” said Mark Stevenson, President and Chief Operating Officer of Life Technologies. “LifeScope™ offers researchers a simple-to-use software system to speed their research for SNP detection, small RNA analysis and other genomic-related analyses with flexibility in hardware options that best fits their research needs, bringing the best software package to the most accurate sequencers available.”

Innovative interface

Featuring secure project management, pushbutton workflows and an intuitive user interface for straightforward genomic data analysis, LifeScope™ software speeds genomic analysis though optimized mapping and other analysis algorithms to reduce time to results, with enhanced graphical outputs to simplify data interpretation that is accessible by anyone in the lab.

Christian Gilissen, at the Department of Human Genetics at Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre in the Netherlands, has been using LifeScope with the center’s sequencing instruments for researching patients with hereditary diseases.

“We have a very specific focus on identifying Mendelian disease genes by exome resequencing,” said Gilissen. “We have used LifeScope™ to fully automate the analysis of exome data, allowing our analysis to keep up with sequencing, and obtain consistent reliable results.”

Optimized for the 5500 Series Genetic Analyzers

LifeScope™ 2.0 has been developed for seamless integration with Life Technologies’ 5500 Series Genetic Analyzers, delivering performance-tuned algorithms for highly accurate analysis of sequence data and setting the foundation for subsequent releases with broader applicability and interfaces, including the Ion Personal Genome Machine.

Flexible hardware options

LifeScope™ software is offered by Life Technologies as standalone product or available with the LifeScope™ Workstation, LifeScope™ Cluster or LifeScope™ Cloud computational infrastructures, provided in partnership with Penguin Computing.

Please click here to watch a video about LifeScope™.

Information on Life Technologies’ LifeScope™ software is available at www.lifetechnologies.com/lifescope.

About Life Technologies

Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) is a global biotechnology company dedicated to improving the human condition.  Our systems, consumables and services enable researchers to accelerate scientific and medical advancements that make life even better.  Life Technologies customers do their work across the biological spectrum, working to advance the fields of discovery and translational research, molecular medicine, stem cell-based therapies, food safety and animal health, and 21st century forensics.  The company manufactures both molecular diagnostic and research use only products.  Life Technologies’ industry-leading brands are found in nearly every life sciences lab in the world and include innovative instrument systems under the Applied Biosystems and Ion Torrent names, as well as, the broadest range of reagents with its Invitrogen, Gibco, Ambion, Molecular Probes and Taqman products.  Life Technologies had sales of $3.6 billion in 2010, has a workforce of approximately 11,000 people, has a presence in approximately 160 countries, and possesses one of the largest intellectual property estates in the life sciences industry, with approximately 3,900 patents and exclusive licenses.  For more information on how we are making a difference, please visit our website: http://www.lifetechnologies.com.  Follow Life Technologies on Twitter @LIFECorporation and on Facebook.