TGen, Arizona State University, and International Genomics
Consortium Select IBM Technology for Research on Genetic Links to
Diseases
Collaboration Includes Joint Research to Identify the Genetic
Markers for Various Cancers
April 25, 2003
The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), Arizona
State University (ASU) and the International Genomics Consortium
(IGC) have selected IBM as their technology provider for genomic
research to accelerate research into diseases such as cancer,
diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's with hopes of developing
improved treatments and finding cures.
Through the agreement, announced today at the Arizona Bio Expo,
IBM and TGen will also explore joint research collaborations, such
as computational analyses of how genes are expressed during various
experimental conditions, including disease states.
"TGen's mission is to discover the genetic changes underlying a
variety of human diseases, develop and validate diagnostic tests
for these diseases, and uncover new, more effective targets and
treatment approaches," said Jeffrey M. Trent, Ph.D., TGen president
and scientific director. "It is critical to have a technology
partner who understands and can support our research goals today
and in the future. IBM has extensive life sciences experience and
advanced computational biology technologies that can accelerate our
research efforts."
To achieve these research goals, IBM will deploy a powerful
supercomputing infrastructure to be housed at ASU that will consist
of a 512-node cluster of IBM eServer xSeries 1350 servers running
the Linux operating system and six IBM eServer pSeries servers for
UNIX operating systems, ranging from IBM's top-of-the-line p690
high-end server to the world's most powerful midrange server, the
new IBM eServer p650 system. These advanced servers feature
self-healing technologies that provide continuous operation -- even
through major power failures and system errors.
"ASU is providing a state of the art computational facility as
part of our support for TGen and its genomics research mission,"
said Dr. William E. Lewis, ASU Chief Information Officer and Vice
Provost. "ASU is excited about the future of TGen and its impact on
the State of Arizona."
TGen will use a combination of network attached storage (NAS) and
storage area network (SAN) technology, with storage solutions that
include IBM's high-speed TotalStorage FAStT700 disk storage system
for accessing and retrieving enormous quantities of information,
the IBM TotalStorage Ultrascalable Linear Tape-Open (LTO) Tape
Library, for centralized data backup, and Tivoli Storage
Manager.
"TGen has laid the groundwork to become a leading institution in
genomic research," said Peter Morrissey, Worldwide Solutions
Executive, IBM Life Sciences. "IBM's relationship with TGen will
enable both organizations to draw on complementary strengths and
expertise that we can apply toward solving challenging life
sciences problems. The joint research projects are aimed at
directly impacting patients at the point of care."
Michael Berens, Ph.D., CEO of IGC agrees. "This early partnering
opportunity with IBM will ensure that the disease-based genomics
databases produced by IGC will be in as user-adaptable formats as
possible. We're pleased to have such a strong informatics partner
as IBM involved," said Berens.
Based on the experimental data provided by TGen and IGC, the IBM
and TGen researchers are beginning the process of mapping the
molecular markers of cancer using IBM's [email protected] Java-based
software, a set of algorithms for analyzing highly complex life
sciences data. One of the first phases of the project will have
researchers analyze the cells of cancer patients who were treated
and responded well, and compare them with the cells of those who
did not. Using IBM Research's leadership in gene expression array
analysis, the ultimate goal will be to determine the differences
between genes in diseased and healthy cells.
"The hope is that patients will ultimately benefit by combining
genomic research with the sophisticated computer resources and the
expertise provided by the IBM Life Sciences Division," said Edward
Suh, Sc.D., TGen's Chief Information Officer.
TGen was established in Phoenix in 2002 as the anchor research
institute in an initiative to make the state of Arizona a center
for genomic research. TGen has assembled a cadre of world-class
independent investigators focused on discovering the genetic
markers of disease (diagnostics), identifying and manipulating new
targets for treatment of disease (therapeutics), and developing new
ways to conduct research and analyze information (genetic
technology and computational biology tools).
About TGen
The mission of the Translational Genomics Research Institute
(TGen) is to make and translate genomic discoveries into advances
in human health. "Translational research" is a relatively new field
employing innovative advances, such as genome-wide array
technology, and the burgeoning field of computational biology, to
provide the data and tools necessary to identify the genes that
play a role in hereditary susceptibility to disease. For more
information about TGen, visit its Web site, http://www.tgen.org.
About IBM Life Sciences
IBM Life Sciences brings together IBM resources, from research,
services and e-business expertise to data and storage management
and high-performance computing, to offer new solutions for the life
sciences market, including biotechnology, genomic, e-health,
pharmaceutical and agri-science industries. The fastest way to get
more information about IBM Life Sciences is through its Web site,
http://www.ibm.com/lifesciences.
About IGC
The International Genomics Consortium (IGC) is a non-profit
genomics research institute that seeks to revolutionize the
treatment and prevention of cancer and complex diseases by
rigorously developing and applying post-genome science to advances
in human health. IGC is dedicated to the creation and
public-release of clinically annotated molecular databases
characterizing human disease. These databases are useful for
discovery and validation of new diagnostic markers and therapeutic
targets. Consortia members include medical centers, pharmaceutical
companies, biotechnology and informatics entities, as well as
foundations and government sponsors working in a private-public
partnership. (See http://www.intgen.org)
About ASU
Arizona State University is one of the premier metropolitan public
research universities in the nation. Enrolling more than 57,000
undergraduate, graduate, and professional students on three
campuses in metropolitan Phoenix, ASU maintains a tradition of
academic excellence in core disciplines, and has become an
important global center for innovative interdisciplinary teaching
and research. ASU offers outstanding resources for study and
research, including libraries and museums with important
collections, studios and performing arts spaces for creative
endeavor, and unsurpassed state-of-the-art scientific and
technological laboratories and research facilities.
Contact:IGC
ROBERT RIGGS
(602) 417-0682
[email protected]
ASU
Nancy Neff
Assistant Vice President
Public Affairs
480-965-4836
[email protected]
IBM
Lon J. Levitan
Manager - Southwest U.S.
Media Relations, IBM Americas
512-823-0404
