One DRAGEN Processor Analyzes 15,000 Human Genomes Generated by Institute’s Illumina HiSeq X Ten Sequencing System
Technology Utilized in Genomic Services Laboratory, Clinical Services Laboratory, CSER Consortium Work
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. and SAN DIEGO – Edico Genome today announced that its DRAGEN™ Bio-IT Processor has been integrated into HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology’s next-generation sequencing workflow, thereby increasing the throughput of the sequencing facility and eliminating the need for expensive servers. A single DRAGEN processor is able to analyze the 15,000 human genomes generated by the Institute’s HiSeq X Ten sequencing system, manufactured by Illumina Inc. As part of the DRAGEN integration, HudsonAlpha developed a front-end management system to enable robust and automated transfer of data from a collection of sequencers to the processor, and automated reporting of results at the conclusion of the analysis.
DRAGEN is currently utilized in HudsonAlpha’s high-volume Genomic Services Laboratory, as well as in its newly established Clinical Services Laboratory, which performs whole genome sequencing for patients with medical conditions. The processor also is used in HudsonAlpha’s Clinical Sequencing Exploratory Research (CSER) consortium project, initiated by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and uses exome sequencing to diagnosis children with developmental delays.
“Our purchase of an Illumina HiSeq X Ten sequencing system more than tripled the number of whole genomes we are sequencing to just over 15,000 per year, and we recognized we needed a tool that could analyze this data rapidly and enable us to arrive at insights that could inform patient care sooner,” said Shawn Levy, Ph.D., director of the HudsonAlpha Genomics Service Laboratory. “DRAGEN’s ability to analyze genomic data rapidly while also reducing costs will enable us to unveil genetic causes of inherited diseases faster, while simultaneously helping advance our understanding of complex genetic disorders. Our average time from completing chemistry on the sequencer to a VCF file being available is 40 minutes. Our collaboration has completely transformed the way we process whole-genome data.”
Added Pieter van Rooyen, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Edico Genome, “HudsonAlpha’s implementation of DRAGEN is a great example of the benefits that DRAGEN can confer to high-volume genomics labs. We continue to see high demand for our DRAGEN platform from many different players in the genomics field that have a need for fast and cost-effective data analysis, including clinical labs, sequencing centers, large and small companies and academic institutions.”
DRAGEN is the first processor designed for genomic applications, and is able to analyze a whole human genome (30x coverage) from FASTQ to variant call format (VCF) in under 28 minutes, compared to over 14 hours using standard software. DRAGEN’s speed has been further extended to the time-consuming step immediately prior, BCL to FASTQ, completing this conversion in only 12 minutes compared to many hours using standard algorithms.
The DRAGEN genome pipeline includes highly optimized algorithms for BCL conversion, compression, mapping, alignment, sorting, duplicate marking, haplotype variant calling and joint genotyping, and the reconfigurable processor can be loaded with additional pipelines, such as RNAseq, methylome, microbiome and cancer. DRAGEN is available in a pre-configured server that is easily integrated into next-generation sequencing bioinformatics workflows. The supporting workflow that Dr. Levy’s lab has developed will be freely available to academic labs.
About HudsonAlpha: HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology is a genomic science and applications nonprofit organization. It is both a high-volume genomic data producer serving hundreds of academic, clinical, and commercial clients’ needs and a global scientific collaborator valued for its genomic data analysis and interpretation to solve some of the most pressing questions in cancer, undiagnosed disease, neuro-psychiatric disorders, immune-mediated disease, agriculture, and public health. Its unique 152-acre campus melds the boundaries between nonprofit scientists, educators, and commercial business people so that collaboration sparks innovation and growth.
About Edico Genome: Edico Genome, developer of the world’s first next-generation sequencing Bio-IT processor, DRAGEN™, is helping usher in the new era of precision medicine by enabling customized treatments and data-driven insights tailored to the individual. At the heart of personalized medicine is next-generation sequencing (NGS), which is growing at an unprecedented pace. By increasing the speed and accuracy of NGS data analysis, such as whole genome sequencing, Edico Genome’s computing platform makes it easier to discover links between DNA sequence variations and human disease, allowing clinicians and researchers to reveal answers more quickly. For more information, visit www.EdicoGenome.com or follow @EdicoGenome.
