FaST-LMM and Windows Azure Put Genetics Research on Faster Track

Although researchers are able to collect, store, and analyze tremendous volumes of data, technological and storage limitations can severely impact the speed at which these data can be analyzed. A new algorithm developed by Microsoft Research, FaST-LMM, runs on Windows Azure in the cloud and expedites analysis time—reducing processing periods from years to just days or hours. An early application of FaST-LMM and Windows Azure helps researchers analyze data for the genetic causes of common diseases. For more information, please visit Cloud Research Engagement:
http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/p...

• Category

  Science & Technology

[hydrosav2007]

So excited! Makes me proud to be a Genetics major! Can't wait to see what the future holds!

[David Heckerman]

Also, we sometimes we find inspiration in other fields that help us to solve problems in computer science. For instance, epidemiology has given us insights into how malware spreads on the Internet and how we can fight back. Understanding how humans hear and see has led to insights in how to teach computers to hear and see. So by being involved in interdisciplinary work like this, we get ideas from other fields that allow us to make breakthroughs on difficult problems in the field of computing.

[David Heckerman]

Also, research should try to solve big problems, and identifying the genetic causes of disease is an important problem for the world. Having computer scientists partner with medical researchers leads to new ideas, new solutions and dramatic acceleration in the scientific process.

[David Heckerman]

The current generation of scientific research is being driven by the collection and analysis of enormous quantities of data. This has challenged the field of computer science to invent new technologies that can scale up to what is required and provide insights that lead to new discoveries. By being a partner in this kind of research, we learn to create computing technologies that will better serve the scientific community today and can apply to similar “big data” applications in our products.

[Hackuna MyTatas]

yea, thats cool and all, but why must a software company invest in this field?

[agustinbs]

Yes, agree, understanding the genome and connived with epi-genetic effect can have a chance to tell use how to prevent some diseases , but but pretty much the most diseases are not related to a genetic component, is just a systemic problem in the organism with a huge environmental component factor.

[melrobRTF]

Depends on how much money he/she makes?

[highlander2107]

I live the work but dont tell me about breakthroughs. I know at least one person with every disease mentioned, and none of them have received any benefit from the genomics "revolution".