Bioinformatics Core Facility
Our aim is to help scientists advance their research using cutting-edge bioinformatics methodologies.
The Bioinformatics Core Facility, in operation since 2003, provides data analysis services, consultation and training to scientists at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and all over Israel - from both academia and industry.
Our services include:
- Next Generation Sequencing Data Analysis
- Microbial Genomics and Epidemiology
- Mass Spectrometry Proteomics Profiling
- MIRNA Expression Profiling Using Nanostring Technology
- DNA Microarray Analysis
- Metabolic and Regulatory Pathways
- Biostatistics
Additionally, our unit developed software that helps to perform data analysis:
- a lightweight software for efficient construction and execution of high throughput sequencing workflows- Microbe Flow - a specialized workflow for bacterial pathogenomics and genomic epidemiology
Our main areas of expertise include the design and analysis of experiments - which uses genomic technologies (e.g. Next Generation Sequencing, Mass spec proteomics & metabolomics, Nanostring technology and microarrays) as well as mining and re-analysis of publicly available datasets.
As a core facility, we are required to encompass an extremely wide range of research areas. So far, we have been involved in studies in human genetic disorders, infectious diseases, plant sciences, stem cells & development, applied agriculture, aquaculture, biomedicine & biotechnology and more.
We continuously learn and expand our set of skills and capabilities, to cope with the ever-growing range of applications of genomic technologies. We see ourselves as applied bioinformaticians, using existing software tools as much as possible, and developing new software when necessary.
As the large majority of our projects are unique in their own way, there is rarely a standard analysis. For each project we carefully select and test a specific set of software and parameters. Often, projects arrive to our door which are not even similar to anything we have done before.
Throughout the work on a project, we smoothly navigate from complex biological questions to complex computational analyses, and then return to the biologist with data and knowledge which he/she can comprehend. We go hand-in-hand with the scientists in designing their genomic-scale experiments, in interpreting them, and in exploring options for further research. Finally, we assist in writing grant proposals, and take part in writing the bioinformatics parts in articles submitted for publication.
Among our customers are scientists from all Israeli Universities, from government research institutes, from the Ministry of Health, and from a large number of companies.
