Sep 03, 2020

A bioinformatics method may help uncover link between immune system variability and SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility

The striking variability in disease severity in people infected with SARS-CoV-2 has been attributed to several host factors, including age, pre-existing health conditions and differences in host genetics and immune responses. In a study published in the journal Bioinformatics, Dr. Inanc Birol and René Warren demonstrated the technical feasibility and utility of the bioinformatics tool, HLAminer, to investigate the role of host immune system variability in COVID-19 disease susceptibility.
Aug 27, 2020

New tool enables researchers to assemble transcript isoforms from single cells

The advent of single-cell RNA sequencing technologies has provided unprecedented opportunities for the analysis of transcriptomes at single-cell resolution, allowing researchers to explore cell-to-cell variability. Now, researchers have developed a tool for the analysis and identification of RNA isoforms from single-cell RNA sequencing data. 

Jul 16, 2020

A novel tool for simultaneous classification of DNA from multiple species

When sequencing samples containing DNA from multiple species, such as when analyzing the human microbiome or identifying pathogenic organisms in an infected host, scientists use bioinformatics tools to classify the organisms present. But aligning every genome to reference can be computationally demanding and even excessive, depending on the desired data.
Jul 02, 2020

New sequence simulator helps leverage power of long-read transcriptome sequencing

Long-read sequencing technologies are increasingly being employed by researchers to gain important insights into the transcriptomes of cells, revealing a need for computational tools designed for long-read RNA sequencing analysis. To facilitate software development, researchers have now created a sequence simulator designed to produce simulated long-read transcriptome data, providing a cost-effective means to help develop, refine and benchmark novel tools for data analysis.

Jun 11, 2020

GSC scientists uncover the complex physical structure of the Sitka spruce mitochondrial genome

After billions of years of evolution, all animals, plants and fungi still share one important feature: the mitochondria; the so-called “powerhouse of the cell”. DNA sequencing technology has revealed that, when compared to their animal cell counterparts, some plant mitochondrial genomes are highly complex, forming intricate structures that remain to be understood by scientists.
Apr 30, 2020

The long and the short of it: scientists develop a tool for rapid genome assembly

Rapid advancements in DNA sequencing have spurred the development of commercial technologies capable of enormous throughput, reducing both the amount of time and money required to sequence a genome and shifting the bottleneck from obtaining DNA sequences to assembling and analyzing them. But a new tool has now come into play, reducing both the time and computational power needed to combine the millions of pieces of a genome into one complete picture.
Aug 14, 2019

Genome British Columbia, LSARP grant: Developing alternatives to using antibiotics in farming

Dr. Inanc Birol was awarded $6.9 million for a project that will employ genomics research to discover and develop antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as alternatives to traditional antibiotics. Treating and preventing bacterial infections in animals is an essential part of agriculture. However, overuse and misuse of antibiotics has led to the development of antimicrobial resistance, an issue classified by the World Health Organization as one of the most urgent global health risks facing us today.

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