Applied Biosystems Creates Software Development Community

Applied Biosystems, an Applera Corporation business, has announced the launch of a software development community, designed to encourage innovation in life science research software applications.

As part of this initiative, Applied Biosystems said that it will provide life scientists and independent software vendors (ISVs) open access to its genetic analysis data file format and a data file converter to facilitate the development of next generation bioinformatics applications that can advance productivity and data sharing on Applied Biosystems' genetic analyzers and real-time PCR sequence detection systems.

As demand increases for software applications that address the challenges associated with generating, analyzing and managing research data in emerging areas of life science research such as DNA fragment, RNA, and genomic copy number analysis, a more open and collaborative software development approach has become necessary.

Open technologies have the potential to revolutionize how biomedical researchers conduct scientific experiments and how they are extended beyond the laboratory to involve activities such as the cross-referencing of research data, patient histories and clinical trial results.

"Applied Biosystems understands that in order for the life sciences community to ultimately achieve its goal of targeted medicine, an environment of collaboration and innovation is required," said Dennis A. Gilbert, Ph.D., chief scientific officer for Applied Biosystems.

"Our mission is to create a more collaborative environment that provides an open and widely accessible pool of resources that will enable customers and ISVs to develop and bring to market innovative new applications that will allow the research community to find more answers, faster and more cost effectively."

Applied Biosystems has already initiated a number of collaborations with leading ISVs directly and through organizations such as the BioIT Alliance.

Geospiza has developed a tool that is designed to improve data analysis workflow and provide better sharing of research and discovery project data across workgroups using the Geospiza Finch Suite, a software platform that facilities clinical and pre-clinical genetic testing based on DNA sequence analysis.

"Geospiza is very excited to be one of the first companies to join the Applied Biosystems software development community," said Kevin Banks, Ph.D., vice president of business development at Geospiza.

"Applied Biosystems and Geospiza already have a strong track record of working together to deliver best in class information technology solutions for DNA sequencing."

"With access to new tools through Applied Biosystems' software development community, Geospiza will now have more opportunities to expand our IT platform to support emerging applications in DNA fragment and SNP analysis."

The software development community is designed to represent the next step in Applied Biosystems' commitment to fostering innovation in life science technologies for its genetic analyzers and real-time PCR sequence detection systems.

Through its joint venture with MDS Sciex, Applied Biosystems is also enabling innovation in the development of applications for mass spectrometry systems used in drug discovery and development, protein analysis, and in food, beverage and environmental testing.

The Applied Biosystems/MDS Sciex mass spectrometer software platforms provide data converters and application development tools that enable life scientists and ISVs to develop plug-ins and instrument controls that extend the functionally and productivity of mass spectrometry systems.

These tools have been used to develop applications such as liquid chromatography device drivers and high-throughput absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion compound profiling applications critical to the drug discovery and development process.

Access to these tools is provided to all licensed users of the Applied Biosystems/MDS Sciex mass spectrometer software platforms.