Celera Pushes Boundaries with Automated Workflows
By John Russell

The use of leading edge informatics tools is part of Celera’s DNA. In the race to sequence the human genome, high performance computing and sophisticated home-grown informatics were as important as high speed sequencing machines to Celera’s success. Celera is hardly that company today, having redefined its mission to become a leader in diagnostics and “personalized disease management.” What hasn’t changed is its use of leading edge informatics.

While widespread adoption of automated workflow tools has been sluggish in life sciences – unlike many other industries - Celera has jumped onboard, building on its several-years-old relationship with workflow platform vender InforSense. Making sense of vast quantities of data has always central to Celera’s mission; today that generally means performing GWA studies and associated functional genomics work to identify and help validate biomarkers. More.

Pathway Genomics Joins the Direct-to-Consumer Genomics Parade
By Kevin Davies

Twenty months after the debut of consumer genomics pioneers 23andMe and deCODEme, San Diego-based Pathway Genomics has launched its own comprehensive direct-to-consumer genotyping service. Company founder and CEO James Plante says Pathway offers several key advantages over its competitors, including the depth, speed and security of the genotyping analysis on offer. More.

Top Story Last Issue
Editor’s Note: A Year of Tumult
By John Russell

If you think of the ‘business year’ as an annual race extending from Labor Day to roughly July 4 -  followed by a brief summer pause to reset for the next race – this year the economy trampled all other contenders. Budgets shrank. Clients retrenched. Untouchables weren’t. Whatever your plan of attack was on September 1, by January 1 it wasn’t. More.

Short News & Analysis

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Genedata Refreshes Web Site
A new look is intended to streamline navigation through the site. Separately, the company announced a contract with Chugai..

Linguamatics Extends AstraZeneca License
AstraZeneca, a customer of Linguamatics since 2003, has extended its license to the I2E..

Merrimack Initiates Enrollment in MM-111 Phase 1/2 Study
MM-111 is the first bispecific antibody binding two different receptors on the same cell to enter clinical development..

Invitrogen Launches Resource for Cellular Technologies
Invitrogen says its Cell Resource Center Web portal brings together educational resources and the latest technologies..

DREAM4 Posts Final Challenge
The last challenge (Challenge 3) can be found at..

BioSeek in EPA’s ToxCast Program
EPA will use BioSeek technology to profile the biological effects of compounds in a second phase ToxCast program..

Optimata to Collaborate with Teva
The agreement is intended to efficiently rescue and redirect the clinical development of discontinued drug candidates..

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Insight Pharma Reports
Bioinformatics and Computational Biology: Bottlenecks and Options
Author:  K. John Morrow, Jr., Ph.D.

The interdisciplinary fields of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology are locked in a high stakes race with analytical instrument developers and innovators. The pace and scope of change in many fields of biomedical research rivals what we once associated only with semiconductor devices.  Bioinformatics and Computational Biology: Bottlenecks and Options presents an analysis of the state of the field in terms of the current systems biology models and their applications, where the field is headed and the possible implications for applied biological science.  Read more.

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