Intel and Lenovo Partner with BGI Genomics on COVID-19 Analysis

Intel, Lenovo and genomics leader BGI Genomics, issued a joint-release detailing a collaborative effort to defend against COVID-19. According to the statement, “researchers will have access to advanced computing technologies to investigate the genomic characteristics of COVID-19 and help industry accelerate a path to vaccine and immunotherapies.”

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The cooperation leverages the latest in big data analytics, augmented by computing power resources to advance genomic sequencing and expedite experts’ understanding of the COVID-19 virus. BGI Genomics’ researchers will now be equipped with the latest in high-performance computing. Specifically, research will be aided by Lenovo’s Genomics Optimization and Scalability Tool (GOAST), the first Intel Select Solution verified for genomics analytics.

Lenovo’s Fuyao Tong said, “The outbreak of the coronavirus pneumonia has touched the hearts of the whole country. Lenovo, the world’s leading HPC provider, is committed to providing computing support for life science research. Experts in big data analytics and life sciences from Intel and Lenovo will integrate our resources and expertise, help address the critical challenges and drive the development of health and life sciences.

Xiangqian Jin, CIO of Shenzhen-based BGI Genomics said, “BGI Genomics has sequenced hundreds of clinical samples to analyze and distinguish the complications of the infection. The technology from bioinformatics like genome alignment, genome assembly, annotation and phylogenetic analysis of virus nucleic acid fragments is a high-density computing process, so sufficient high-performance computing is important to improve the efficiency of analysis.”

He continued on the value Intel and Lenovo’s technical solutions provide to BGI Genomics, “Having access to the latest high-performance computing and genomics analytics technologies are important factors in improving analysis efficiency. The equipment and technology will speed up the rapid identification of COVID-19 infected people and the study of virus genome characteristics, providing strong support for accurate diagnosis, treatment and epidemic prevention of COVID-19.”