ACADEMIA

A Linux cluster designed by Tsunamic Technologies will be used to power gene-sequencing research by scientists worldwide. John Van Workum, president of Tsunamic Technologies, said his firm landed a major contract with Integrated Genomics, the Chicago biomedical research firm, to integrate Tsunamic’s high-performance computer clusters with Integrated Genomics’ advanced ERGO bioinformatics software, which features the largest database of microbial genomes in existence. “Integrated Genomics’ research, which analyses millions of sequences of chromosome pairs, requires enormous computing power,” Van Workum said. “Recently, Integrated Genomics achieved a major breakthrough that increased the efficiency of their ERGO bioinformatics software by an order of magnitude. To realize that enormous advance, they must substantially increase their computing power, and that’s where we come in,” Van Workum said. Tsunamic develops and customizes software that links “Linux clusters” – professional versions of PCs that use the Linux operating system, an open source platform preferred by many scientists because it can be customized to perform unique tasks. Tsunamic specializes in software that links dozens – even hundreds – of computers together in clusters that greatly increase the computational power without substantially increasing costs. Last year, the firm doubled its computational power, Van Workum said. “By leveraging the latest multi-core processor technologies and strategically managing our computer capacity, we can provide a computing service that is fast enough to keep up with advancing technology and stay cost-effective,” said Van Workum. Van Workum added that he anticipates additional projects from bioinformatics companies. “We are a perfect match for bioinformatics companies like Integrated Genomics,” said Van Workum. “Their scientists are always seeking ways to improve the efficiency of their software, which applies substantially more computing power to their research. Tsunamic’s Linux high-performance clusters offer the most cost-effective way to generate that power,” he said. Tsnuamic Technologies Inc. is a client of the University of Central Florida Technology Incubator in the Central Florida Research Park.