Analysis of the huge amounts of data produced in life sciences: from Regional to National and European research bioinformatics infrastructures

Abstract

With the emergence of a broad spectrum of new methods and technologies, biology research has become a science generating massive amounts of data. The simultaneous development of bioinformatics constitutes the prerequisite for the storage, global exchange, and analysis of this data volume. The combination of new research technologies – such as next-generation sequencing, high-throughput precision phenotyping, and so-called OMICS technologies – and bioinformatics tools for linking and analysing the generated data, enable a deep understanding of biological interrelationships.

To ensure that biological data has the most efficient, long-term, and sustainable use for research (and commercial) applications, National coordinated, networked and efficient bioinformatics infrastructures have been developed. They are generally based on the establishment of a two-track organisational structure, which, on the one hand, has a number of local, well-equipped, and specialised expertise centres and, on the other hand, provides a comprehensive body for networking and coordinating these centres. At the international level as well, efforts are already underway to establish overarching infrastructure programmes in order to achieve better networking and data exchange.

Starting with an overview of the research and services activities developed in my own team, the Laboratory of Bioinformatics Analysis in Genomics and Metabolism located at Genoscope (Evry), I will present the organization and main objectives of the French bioinformatics infrastructure (IFB) which is also the national node of the European bioinformatics infrastructure ELIXIR.