1. Provide analytical support for research using high-throughput biological data (see Services). The Core’s primary goal is to implement solutions to aid MU system researchers in managing, visualizing, analyzing, and interpreting biological data at scale. This includes projects ranging from genomics to machine learning. We will establish best practices compliant production environments for commonly needed analyses and develop custom solutions to assist research with data analysis and biological interpretation. The core will serve as a central point of contact and venue for collaboration for researchers with bioinformatics and computational biology interests across the MU system.
2. Develop a unified research information systems infrastructure at Mizzou. To be successful in modern translational bioinformatics research, MU must establish an integrated research information management infrastructure that spans bioinformatics, clinical research, information storage and retrieval, research administration/management systems, and high-performance-computing. As an integrated and interdisciplinary service unit, the Bioinformatics and Analytics Core is uniquely positioned to help develop these partnerships across the MU system and has the cross-discipline knowledge to facilitate necessary communications with a variety of researchers and administrators to help achieve this goal.
3. Provide outreach and bioinformatics training to the MU community (see Training). It is important that a rapport and dialogue is established between researchers and the bioinformaticians and computational biologists with whom they collaborate. The core will advertise services as they become available and work with investigators to establish new data analysis pipelines as requested. The core will give informational seminars as requested on supported modern analyses, and will host training series and workshops on commonly used bioinformatics tools, resources, and databases.