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University of Alberta Transplant Applied Genomics Centre Chooses Scientific Data Management Solution from GenoLogics
GenoLogics has announced that the University of Alberta has selected Geneus™ for their informatics infrastructure and scientific data management system. GenoLogics installed Geneus™ at the Alberta Transplant Applied Genomics Centre (ATAGC) at the University of Alberta in September of this year.
ATAGC is conducting diagnostic gene expression and transcriptomics research with the aim to develop new molecular diagnostics for organ transplant recipients.
The research involves using gene expression microarrays to understand transplant rejection events, and has led to the identification of a series of gene expression (transcript) sets that provide new robust quantitative measurements for assessing rejection. These sets form the basis of a potentially new diagnostic system to use in conjunction with the current pathology system.
In the future, they expect to use proteomics and metabolomics research to augment the research they are conducting, and they also plan to partner with pharmaceutical organizations to develop commercial therapeutic drugs to counter organ rejection.
Dr. Philip Halloran, Director of the Alberta Transplant Applied Genomics Centre, stated, “The challenge of applying the new sciences is that they are so rich in data – in information. To be successful in bringing the new genetic sciences to the bedside requires new approaches to managing information. We are doing this in organ transplants now, but every area of medicine will eventually be changed by these new technologies.”
The Geneus solution will be used primarily as a scientific data management system (SDMS) to handle the data management component of the Centre’s gene expression and transcriptomics research. Geneus will provide the research informatics infrastructure to handle the Centre’s massive amount of scientific data.
The ATAGC needed a robust, flexible system, purposed for their science, with an open database schema. They also wanted to work with a collaborative and experienced team that could implement a production solution quickly, and that provided long-term informatics services and support. GenoLogics met these requirements.
