Balu Doraisamy, MD, HP with Dr Samir Brahmachari, director, IGIB signing the agreement
The New Delhi-based Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), and Hewlett Packard (HP) has signed an MoU to use latter's 4 Teraflops (TFLOPS) HP Cluster Platform to advance life sciences computational biology research. The supercomputer will enable IGIB to research in complex molecular dynamic simulations, protein structure, interaction experiments and in silico toxicity studies, stated an official release.
IGIB's supercomputer will be the most powerful HP supercomputer in Asia. With this facility, IGIB has joined the ranks of global research institutions like PNNL, Pittsburgh ASCI-Q, Sanger Institute, UK and Institute of Molecular Science, Japan who have implemented ultra-scalable systems that reach 20 TFLOPs and beyond, the release said.
"HP's Cluster Platform provides a scalable architecture that allows us to complete large simulation experiments such as molecular interactions and dynamics, virtual drug screening, protein folding, etc much more quickly," said Dr. Samir Brahmachari, Director of IGIB. "This technology combined with HP's experience and expertise in life sciences helps IGIB speed access to information, knowledge, and new levels of efficiency, which we hope will ultimately culminate in the discovery of new drug targets and predictive medicine for complex disorders with minimum side effects," he added.
The HP supercomputer is a 288-node Cluster Platform 3000 based on HP Intel Xeon-based ProLiant systems running the Linux operating system. The high-speed InfiniBand 10Gbps cluster interconnect is used and HP's XC System Software provides cluster management capability. The HP Cluster Platform 3000 and the XC System Software are part of HP's Unified Cluster Portfolio announced in November 2004. In addition, this centre also will have a 24-node high-performance HP ProLiant cluster running Linux, a powerful HP Integrity Superdome server that will be used for experimental projects. The open standard platform allows IGIB to develop complex bioinformatics algorithms that are easy to share, adopt and collaborate with the best institutions around the world.
"HP is excited to be working with IGIB to help develop medical informatics opportunities in India. IGIB now can accelerate the pace of innovation while driving greater cost savings and productivity and responding quickly to new opportunities and change, with complete, supported, highly scalable cluster solutions," said Balu Doraisamy, Managing Director, HP India.
IGIB, a premier life science institute, conducts research, leading to generation of new knowledge and development of technologies in various areas of life sciences. Life systems exploration ranges from genes to proteins, and from biotechnology to pharmaceuticals and personalized medicine.