Broad Institute and Google to Offer Genomic Analysis Tools in the Cloud

With a little help from Google, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard is tackling the need for computing infrastructure to store and process the enormous datasets involved in biomedical research. The institute is partnering with Google Genomics to offer its Genome Analysis Toolkit (GATK) as a service on the Google Cloud Platform, enabling genomic researchers to upload, store and analyze data in a scalable, high-performance environment.

Developed at the Broad Institute, GATK is a software package designed to analyze high-throughput genomic sequencing data, with a focus on genetic variant discovery and genotyping as well as a data quality assurance. It is already available for download at no cost for academic and non-profit users; a paid license is available for business users. To date, more than 20,000 users have processed genomic data using GATK, according to a press release.

The Google Genomics service will open up the capabilities of GATK to researchers who don't have access to the dedicated compute infrastructure and engineering teams required for analyzing genomic data at scale.

"Large-scale genomic information is accelerating scientific progress in cancer, diabetes, psychiatric disorders, and many other diseases," said Eric Lander, president and director of Broad Institute, in a statement. "Storing, analyzing, and managing these data is becoming a critical challenge for biomedical researchers. We are excited to work with Google's talented and experienced engineers to develop ways to empower researchers around the world by making it easier to access and use genomic information."

For its initial alpha release, the GATK cloud service will be made available to a limited set of users. Broad Institute said it will continue to support and upgrade GATK for all users, both on site and in the cloud, and will continue to offer the software directly.

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • AI robot with cybersecurity symbol on its chest

    Microsoft Adds New Agentic AI Tools to Security Copilot

    Microsoft has announced a major expansion of its AI-powered cybersecurity platform, introducing a suite of autonomous agents to help organizations counter rising threats and manage the growing complexity of cloud and AI security.

  • modern college building with circuit and brain motifs

    Anthropic Launches Claude for Education

    Anthropic has announced a version of its Claude AI assistant tailored for higher education institutions. Claude for Education "gives academic institutions secure, reliable AI access for their entire community," the company said, to enable colleges and universities to develop and implement AI-enabled approaches across teaching, learning, and administration.

  • central cloud platform connected to various AI icons—including a brain, robot, and network nodes

    Linux Foundation to Host Protocol for AI Agent Interoperability

    The Linux Foundation has announced it will host the Agent2Agent (A2A) protocol project, an open standard originally developed by Google to support secure communication and interoperability among AI agents.

  • open laptop in a college classroom with holographic AI icons like a brain and data charts rising from the screen

    4 Ways Universities Are Using Google AI Tools for Learning and Administration

    In a recent blog post, Google shared an array of education customer stories, showcasing ways institutions are using AI tools like Gemini and NotebookLM to transform both learning and administrative tasks.