The NSW Chief Scientist, Prof Mary O'Kane has launched Intersect’s latest Innovation project at UNSW saying, “For me this is the archetypical best form of eResearch: there is so much cross disciplinary work we’ll do as we see the computing world join research. Now it’s possible and this sort of project really makes it sensible; the fact that the data can be stored, tagged, sent around the world, bringing people from around the world into a project. We are bringing together some great researchers and research opportunities with fantastic infrastructure.”
Intersect has centralised the effort of several major institutions to make the best use of new gene sequencing instruments. One of the key benefits of the Genomic Data Analysis project is that it is designed for easy deployment at other, new sites.
Prof Marc Wilkins of the Ramaciotti Centre for Gene Function Analysis said at the launch, “What I've been very excited to do has been to work in collaboration with Southern Cross University, with the Ramaciotti Centre, with Intersect to make this project possible”.
Intersect CEO, Dr Ian Gibson adds, "Projects undertaken by Intersect are available for all members to use. While this project directly supports Illumina and Roche/ 454 next generation gene sequencers, it is designed to be easily reconfigured for changing experimental methods, new tools and other disciplines. We would be very happy to talk to other research centres about their data management needs.”
Dr Ross Wilkinson, Executive Director of the Australian National Data Service, who funded part of the project said, “ANDS is terrifically supportive of this project because it ensures easy capture of rich descriptions of data at source; enabling reuse of that data by researchers, their partners and other researchers to answer new questions from existing data”.