The objective of the BioCompute Public-Private Partnership is to facilitate the efficient communication of certain critical elements of genomic analyses - including analyses performed, the order of steps, all prerequisites required, reviewer comments, and data provenance — for the purpose of rendering genomic analyses more easily and beneficially consumed by research institutions, clinical and diagnostic care facilities, biotech and pharma entities, and regulatory bodies such as the FDA. In pursuit of this objective, the BioCompute Public-Private Partnership developed the BioCompute Standard. Applying the BioCompute Standard to the communication of genomic analyses creates a BioCompute Object, or “BCO.” The BCO format avoids the interpretive limitations and inefficiencies created by non-standardized communications of genomic analysis and, instead, distills the critical elements of genomic analyses and allows BCO users to save valuable time and resources moving swiftly through interpretation or utilization. In addition to report standardization, the BioCompute Partnership provides other BCO services focused on maximizing the utility of a BCO. Please contact us directly for more information.
BCO Certification
Evaluate BioCompute Object integrity
Certification is a check that optimizes BCO integrity. Certification will ensure the BCO standardization process was followed properly and flag uncertainties. BCO Certification review is a quality assurance measure that decreases the probability of uncertainty in the communication of genomic workflow communication, whether to a researcher, clinician, or regulating authority.
As the coordinator in developing the BioCompute Standard and BCOs, the BioCompute Partnership is the authority in developing and evaluating BCOs. The BioCompute Partnership has coordinated the successful exchange of BCOs between many groups in the public and private sectors, in both open and secured formats. Our experience gives us the ability to find potential challenges, and to do so far more quickly than a trial and error approach. BCO Certification allows the BioCompute Partnership to monitor application of the BCO Standard and increase efficacy, leading to broad adoption and a more productive community of users.
BCO Verification
Test the robustness of your pipeline against a variety of conditions
The verification service is a way of confirming the claims of a genomic analysis. BioCompute acts as a neutral, third party check. The verification service uses human subject matter experts dedicated to your project who will formally identify the Error Domain of your analysis and its bounds. This allows you to make claims regarding its efficacy, as certified by a third party. Verifications also make it possible to introduce small changes to your pipeline without ruining a submission to the FDA, which can otherwise take many months to address.
Verifications are customized, contract-based services. They often start around $150K at 6 months to 1 year. Time and cost may increase depending on complexity.
BCO Database
Contribute or access other workflows
The BioCompute will build and host databases related to workflows in high throughput sequencing. A database is a powerful way to link divisions and bridge workflows across an entire institution, and between groups. In addition, crowd sourced databases can serve as a repository of published and unpublished workflows. Users can contribute to the database and distribute their own workflows, or download other successful workflows already vetted by the community.
Databases provide a variety of other functionality as well. Workflows in publications can be repeated more easily, analyses can be repeated more easily without having to hire a full time bioinformatician, and work can be archived. Access to the database can serve as a gateway to all of the community efforts in high throughput sequencing. Costs for databases vary broadly and depend on the size of the project, but often require institutional level support.
Technical Support
Help for every step of an FDA submission or analysis communication
The BioCompute Partnership also offers a technical support service to assist with the creation and communication of BioCompute Objects. This includes work prepared for FDA submissions, research communications, and clinical and diagnostic purposes. Technical Specialists can work with you or directly with your platform provider such as DNAnexus or Seven Bridges to assist with the generation and transmittal of BioCompute Objects, or subject matter related to the standard itself. As the group that helped to develop the genome analysis platform used by the FDA and who coordinate public and private participation in developing the standard, our scientists the leading authorities in its implementation.