Samsung Launches Genome Analysis Service, Offers Free Genome

August 23, 2011

By Allison Proffitt 

August 23, 2011 | Samsung SDS is launching beta testing of its new next generation sequencing data analysis service beginning September 1. The Samsung SDS Genome Data Analysis Service will provide analysis services for whole genome sequencing and RNASeq for both Life Technologies and Illumina sequencers. The service will be in beta testing mode from September to November and will be offering free genome analysis (one genome per researcher) during the testing phase.

The service will be Cloud-based, with all analysis being done on the Samsung cloud in Korea. Users can either upload their data, or send a hard drive. “The customer will be actually going to our website and filling out the order form… [to get] their whole genome analyzed and their RNA analyzed,” SungKwon Kim, director of the Bioinformatics Lab, told Bio-IT World. Results are returned to the user online via Samsung’s own genome browser. “User should be able to easily navigate their genomic analysis with our web browser once we finish the genomic analysis.” 

The algorithms that Samsung SDS is using for analysis are a combination of open source and vendor provide softwares with Samsung’s own proprietary “tweaks”.  

Bioinformatics is a newer area for Samsung, but Kim expects it to be a growth area for the company in the years to come. “We are known for the enterprise-level IT business. When I say enterprise level, we’ve been working with system innovation with banks, high profile, Fortune 500 companies, so when it comes to data security… I don’t think any other vendor companies should be able to match with our capabilities in security, recovery handling, those kinds of things.”  

Kim also believes that Samsung will offer faster genome analysis than its competitors or in house options. He expects the final service to take 5 days for whole genome analysis and 3 days for RNA analysis.  

Interested parties can sign up for beta test beginning on September 1 on the Samsung Genome website http://www.samsunggenome.com.