Objectives

Bioinformatics at the CPGR is characterized by 4 major components:

1) Integration of data generated on different technology platforms and/or various levels of biological complexity (DNA, RNA ,protein, etc) to enable a systems-based, in-silico representation of biological phenomena.

2) Development, implementation and managementof bio-computational tools that enhance the extraction of biologically meaningful information from raw data and that facilitate the interpretation of results (visualization);

3) Training and education of biological scientists in the understanding and use of bioinformatic applications and proliferation of bioinformatic knowledge to empower the scientific community;

4) IT-support to more efficiently create, manage and store biological data generated on information-rich omics platforms.

Major objectives are to:

Develop, implement and manage bio-computational tools that enhance the extraction of biologically meaningful information from raw data and to facilitate the interpretation of results;

Integrate data generated on different technology platforms and/or various levels of biological complexity to enable a systems-based in-silico representation of biological phenomena;

Develop and/or implement novel tools that help to create high-quality raw data in a robust, dependable manner, with an emphasis on establishing pipelines that automate these processes;

To develop, adopt and implement standards for data generation, analysis, management, storage, reporting and publication in compliance with national and international standards;

Proliferate the platform knowledge by capacitating other platforms and data-generating entities through the development and implementation of common policies, procedures and standards;

To leverage synergy effects between existing "omics" entities to enhance the output and branding of these entities for the benefit of the biotech sector in SA;

Enhance the capacity of the scientific community in SA in the omics arena in terms of Bioinformatics, including practical know-how relevant to hard- and software;

To translate needs identified into purpose-designed interventions and training programs that directly enhance the bioinformatics capacity in the constituent stakeholder community;

To empower biologists ito the understanding and use of Bioinformatics, with a special focus on integrating wet- and dry-lab understanding, i.e. to enhance the understanding of multidisciplinary omics-based science.