The Bioinformatics Core serves as a centralized resource for providing expert and timely bioinformatics consulting, analysis, collaborative research, management, and training solutions for a broad range of biomedical data including high-throughput data. The Bioinformatics Core will support the specific aims of the INBRE IV: Hawaii Statewide Research & Education Partnership (HiSREP) by providing a strong and integrated bioinformatics service in research, education, investigation and creation of innovative methodologies. During INBRE III, the Bioinformatics Core was reorganized to better serve as a resource to the HiSREP community, and consequently made substantial progress. We observed an annual increase in the number of users (nearly 5-fold) utilizing the Bioinformatics Core services from almost all the HiSREP institutions. The Bioinformatics Core has successfully provided bioinformatics/biostatistics training and education opportunities to the HiSREP community. During INBRE III, the Bioinformatics infrastructure was also significantly enhanced. Specifically, an Illumina NextSeq 500 machine was recently purchased and will function to greatly accelerate the next generation sequencing-based research in the HiSREP network. In addition, a Cray CS300 Supercomputer was installed at UH ITS Center, to which the Bioinformatics Core has full access. In INBRE IV, the Bioinformatics Core will continue to function as an important component of the network. Specifically, the Core will contribute to INBRE IV objectives in three key ways: (i) Customized Services: the core will facilitate the acquisition of preliminary data for grant applications and subsequent research by HiSREP investigators via consultation on experimental design and data management as well as offer expertise in data analysis and interpretation in bioinformatics and biostatistics; (ii) Education and Training: the Bioinformatics Core will provide education in bioinformatics and biostatistics, as well as support for the career development of researchers (both students and faculty), and; (iii) Core Development: the Bioinformatics Core will create new tools and methods or repurpose existing tools and strategies to accelerate advances in the science. In all of these activities, the Core will work collaboratively with other local and national bioinformatics cores. To reach these goals, we propose four Specific Aims: (1) Expand Bioinformatics Core services to support biomedical research needs of HiSREP investigators in the performance of their research. (2) Provide education and training opportunities in bioinformatics-related topics to all stage HiSREP research students and scientists as well as community partners. (3) Develop novel bioinformatics tools to enhance bioinformatics research through the interactions of the combined and expanded expertise of the Bioinformatics Core. (4) Build institutional and community research synergy through the interaction and collaboration with the HiSREP partners.
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