2010 Best Practices Competition IT & Informatics HPC

[ROI Expected or Achieved]
Figure 4 March 2010 Nextgen sequencing infrastructure pipeline
Highly scalable IT infrastructure supporting high-throughput NextGen sequencing data processing and
analysis
1. High-speed, shared file transfer infrastructure that enables TGen scientists to participate in largescale
collaborations involving NextGen sequencing-based research
2. Improved data management procedures resulting in a more cost effective use of storage and
other infrastructure resources
3. Efficient scientific data processing workflow including computational tools that can be leveraged
to expedite research
4. Robust HPC infrastructure that is capable of supporting large-scale NextGen sequencing projects
As a result of the above benefits, TGen is better positioned to compete in large-scale grants and
contracts involving NextGen sequencing technology.
[Conclusions]
In spite of resource limitations, infrastructure constraints and a relatively short time to carry out the largescale
sequencing data analysis, TGen has successfully aligned approximately 270 Giga-bases out of 550
Giga-bases processed against the human genome.
Throughout 2009, several new research groups at TGen incorporated NextGen sequencing technologies
into their research, consequently the number of bioinformatics personnel carrying out NextGen data
analysis is increasing. Concurrently, the number of sequencers at TGen has gone from two to seven (two
SOLEXA and five SOLiD). TGen expects to add six more SOLiD sequencers in early 2010. The
throughput of each sequencer at TGen has more than doubled relative to early 2009 and this trend is
expected to continue or even accelerate. Large volumes of data generated by external collaborators and