•GeneSpring GX 10 now available

The Biomolecular Computing Resource (BimCore) at Emory University School of Medicine is a subscription-based computing support service for Emory researchers. BimCore provides computational resources, training, and on-call support for various Bioinformatics software (sequence analysis, genomics, microarray analysis) and Biomolecular Modeling software (display, modeling, mutagenesis, docking). BimCore actively evaluates current software packages to create an offering which addresses the needs of faculty, is complete, and supplies state-of-the-art solutions to Bioinformatics questions.

The BimCore Sequence Analysis Facility was established in 1992, the BimCore Molecular Modeling Center was established in 1996, and the BimCore Microarray Analysis Facility was established in 2003. The Sequence Analysis Facility (SAF) supports various genetic data analysis software packages along with access to a SNPs database and a local BLAST Server. The Molecular Modelling Center (MMC) supports molecular modelling and visualization software packages. The Microarray Analysis Facility supports various microarray expression data analysis programs, SAS (a statistical package) and a database archive.

BimCore collaborates with several Biostatisticians from Rollins School of Public Health (RSPH) in initial evaluation, protocol design and analysis of highthroughput and –omics data.  Biostatistics graduate students and faculty are available for consult.

In 2004, Emory University (College, Information Technology Division (ITD) and BimCore) invested in the purchase of a 128 node High-performance Compute Cluster.  June 2007, a 1024 node Sun Cluster came on-line as a University resource.  Managed by Research & Health Sciences IT (RHS-IT), the cluster is open to the University research community and will service software in the following areas:  neural simulation, imaging and image analysis, quantum chemistry, molecular dynamics, genomic comparison, statistics, numerical analysis, etc.; with additional programs available on request.

Future development of BimCore services include:  LIMs – laboratory information management system for sample tracking and experimental data repository; meta-analyses (i.e.  microarray and proteomics, genomics and metabolomics), multi-dimensional analysis of multi-channel flow cytometry data, etc.

BimCore receives ongoing financial support from Emory School of Medicine, Woodruff Funds, Graduate School, College, and Information Technology Division (ITD).