The ability to generate, store and analyze high throughput genomic data is critical for many aspects of modern biology, and especially for human genetics. The Clemson University Genomics and Bioinformatics Facility (CUGBF) provides small to moderate scale genome analysis and customized bioinformatics services. The Clemson University Center for Human Genetics Genome Sciences Laboratories (CUCHG-GSL) supports in- house high throughput, large scale genome analysis, including third generation single molecule long-read sequencing and single cell analyses, as well as custom bioinformatic and statistical analyses of genomic data. The COBRE in Human Genetics will expand the scope of genomics and bioinformatics at Clemson University and the State of South Carolina by combining and expanding the genomics, bioinformatics and computational infrastructure and personnel of the CUGBF and the CUCHG-GSL under the single umbrella of an enhanced CUGBF. The expanded CUGBF will span the spectrum of next generation sequencing platforms, provide custom bioinformatics and statistical analyses and advice on experimental design, and genomics and bioinformatics seminars and workshops. The enhanced CUGBF will thus provide the infrastructure, project guidance and supervision, and training to empower COBRE in Human Genetics Research and Pilot Project Leaders and their laboratory groups to fully deploy extant and emerging genomic and computational technologies in their research programs. These services will also be available for all Clemson University faculty and their research groups as well as faculty in sister institutions in South Carolina. In addition, the enhanced CUGBF will host monthly genomics and bioinformatics seminars and hands-on workshops to train students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty to become self-sufficient in obtaining and analyzing genomics data. The enhanced CUGBF thus fills three critical needs for the wide scale adoption of modern genomics and bioinformatics research in an Institutional Development Award state: (1) local availability of genomics and computational infrastructure; (2) provision of molecular biology and bioinformatics services to investigators new to such large scale analyses; and (3) training researchers to become self-sufficient in obtaining and analyzing genomics data.
