CLC Bio Tests Next Generation Sequencing Solution On African Tuberculosis Data

Main Category: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Also Included In: IT / Internet / E-mail
Article Date: 13 Feb 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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The world's leading bioinformatics solution provider, CLC bio, has joined forces with the first center for High Throughput DNA Sequencing in Africa, Inqaba Biotechnical Industries (Pty) Ltd., in an effort to help fight tuberculosis on the African continent. Together CLC bio and inqaba biotec will assemble and analyze data from multiple tuberculosis strains, sequenced on inqaba biotec's Genome Sequencer FLX system.

CLC bio, is in the final stage of development of their upcoming CLC Genomics Workbench, which is a new workbench aimed at next generation sequencing and whole genome assembly. The new workbench will support all next generation sequencing platforms, such as Roche GS FLX (454), Illumina Gene Analyzer System (Solexa), and SOLiD Analyzer from Applied Biosystems from the start - with Helicos and others to be included in the near future.

Dr. Oliver Preisig, Executive Director at Inqaba Biotechnical Industries, states, 'The consortium's goal is to find the genetic differences between different strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We target our genome sequencing on XDR (Extreme Drug Resistant) and MDR (Multi Drug Resistant) strains of the bacterium. Having assembled the genomes of these strains we can find the strains' specific markers and develop a PCR test that could bring much faster diagnosis for proper treatment. This means we have an urgent need for whole genome sequencing, and look forward to CLC bio's upcoming workbench, which will provide an intuitive and fast solution.'

Senior Scientific Officer at CLC bio, Dr. Roald Forsberg, continues 'We are really exited to join forces with inqaba biotec in their Tubercolosis research program. The large amount of genomic data inqaba biotec produces offers us an exciting opportunity to test and fine tune our algorithms on real and challenging data - and at the same time it allows us to contribute to the ongoing fight against Tuberculosis. This is a great motivation to our developer team.'

The South African Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome sequencing project is funded by BioPAD, a biotechnology investment trust funded by the Department of Science and Technology of South Africa and includes as consortium members the Chris Hani Baragwanath business unit of the National Health Laboratory Services, the Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogens Research Unit at the University of Witwatersrand and inqaba biotec.

The upcoming CLC Genomics Workbench will among other things feature an SIMD accelerated genome assembler, and will take full advantage of "paired ends" data. CLC bio will release CLC Genomics Workbench in the spring.

Read more about Next Generation Sequencing at: http://www.nextgenerationsequencing.com

About CLC bio

CLC bio is the world's leading full-service bioinformatics solution provider, solely focusing on the development of bioinformatics: software, hardware, data analysis, and custom-designed bioinformatics algorithms. CLC bio is an Apple solution provider and value added reseller.

CLC bio's mission is to be among the most innovative bioinformatics companies in the 21st century. This is realized through:

- Development of bioinformatics software and hardware based on the latest scientific findings
- User-friendly, integrated and intuitive cross-platform software solutions
- Continuous focus on customer needs and superior customer service
- Frequent product updates including the latest IT technologies and bioinformatics algorithms
- A flexible IT architecture, enabling customers to buy or develop individualized solutions at a reasonable price

About Inqaba Biotec

Inqaba Biotechnical Industries (Pty) Ltd, trading as inqaba biotec, is a private South African genomics company founded in 2002. inqaba biotec was initiated and funded by a few scientists from South Africa, the USA, Germany and Switzerland. inqaba biotec is based in Pretoria, South Africa. A Swiss government loan with the aim of facilitating investments in developing and emerging countries was crucial in the start-up years. At the end of 2005 BioPAD (http://www.biopad.org.za), a biotechnology investment trust funded by the Department of Science and Technology of South Africa, joined inqaba biotec as a shareholder and strategic partner. inqaba biotec's customer base covers the whole of South Africa as well as other Sub-Saharan countries. In March 2007, inqaba biotec started offering a genome sequencing service using first a GS 20 and later a GS FLX from Roche as part of an infrastructure investment by BioPAD.

For further information, please visit inqaba biotec's website.

Inqaba Biotechnical Industries

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