New web-based service for analyzing, visualizing and managing DNA sequencing data

DNAnexus, Inc. today announced the commercial launch of its web-based service for analyzing, visualizing, and managing next-generation DNA sequencing data. Andreas Sundquist, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO, will introduce the solution publicly for the first time today at the annual Bio-IT World Conference and Expo in Boston, Massachusetts.

“We are committed to working with our users and the leading sequencing platform providers to ensure that DNAnexus continues to evolve and meet the needs of this exciting and dynamic market.”

Next-generation DNA sequencing is rapidly becoming a ubiquitous discovery and validation tool across a growing number of research applications. The growth of the technology adoption remains hampered, however, by the costly and substantial computational infrastructure and bioinformatics expertise necessary to process, share, and manage data.

DNAnexus provides labs, core facilities, and genome centers the ability to rapidly deploy a powerful and scalable computational infrastructure that is built on a cost-effective and secure cloud-based computing platform. DNAnexus integrates a novel data analysis pipeline for direct sequence upload and read mapping with a suite of easy-to-use visualization and analysis tools that allow users to quickly access and interpret results.

The company was founded by Andreas Sundquist, Ph.D., Arend Sidow, Ph.D., and Serafim Batzoglou, Ph.D., who met at Stanford University while working together to solve next-generation sequencing data analysis challenges. The scientific advisory board includes Jeffrey M. Heer, Ph.D., Stanford University; Richard Myers, Ph.D., HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology; Gavin Sherlock, Ph.D., Stanford University; and Michael Snyder, Ph.D., Stanford University.

"A key limiting factor in the broad adoption of next-generation DNA sequencing technologies is the burden of managing large data sets and the sophisticated informatics necessary to make information accessible and useful to researchers," said Dr. Snyder. "By combining powerful data analysis tools with an easy-to-use, web-based research environment, DNAnexus is helping to remove the bottleneck in next-generation sequencing."

The initial functionality of the service includes the ability to perform functional genomics analyses by simply uploading datasets generated by the Illumina Genome Analyzer and HiSeq™ systems or Life Technologies SOLiD™ systems. DNAnexus offers flexible, per-sample introductory pricing and free trial access through the company's website at DNAnexus.com.

"DNAnexus was built to be simple to use, easy to deploy, and adaptable to the rapid pace of innovation occurring in DNA sequencing," said Andreas Sundquist, Ph.D., chief executive officer and co-founder of DNAnexus. "We are committed to working with our users and the leading sequencing platform providers to ensure that DNAnexus continues to evolve and meet the needs of this exciting and dynamic market."

Dr. Sundquist will introduce DNAnexus in a presentation titled, "A Novel Web 2.0 Solution to Address the NGS Data Analysis Bottleneck," today at 3:30 pm Eastern Time during the Next-Generation Sequencing Data Management workshop at the Bio-IT World Conference and Expo in Boston, Massachusetts. More information about the conference can be found online at www.bio-itworldexpo.com.

SOURCE DNAnexus, Inc.