Visualizing next-generation sequencing cancer data sets with cloud computing

Abstract

With the advent of next-generation sequencing technology, clinical data sets now contain enormous amounts of valuable genomic information related to a wide range of diseases such as cancer. This data needs to be analysed, managed, stored, visualized and integrated in order to be clinically useful. However, many clinicians and researchers, who need to interpret these data sets, are non-specialists in the information technology domain and so need systems that are effective and easy to use. Herein, we present an overview of a novel cloud computing based next-generation sequencing research management software system which has simplicity, scalability, speed and reproducibility at its core. A prototype that enables rapid visualization of big data cancer sets is described. We present preliminary results from a bioinformatics pipeline for the Sage Care project, a European Union funded cancer research project, for comprehensive genome mapping analysis and visualization and outlined benefits of integrating this into a graphical user interface platform such as Simplicity.