Abstract
With the increasingly rapid growth of data in life sciences we are witnessing a major transition in the way research is conducted, from hypothesis-driven studies to data-driven simulations of whole systems. Such approaches necessitate the use of large-scale computational resources and e-infrastructures, such as the European Grid Infrastructure (EGI). EGI, one of key the enablers of the digital European Research Area, is a federation of resource providers set up to deliver sustainable, integrated and secure computing services to European researchers and their international partners. Here we aim to provide the state of the art of Grid/Cloud computing in EU research as viewed from within the field of life sciences, focusing on key infrastructures and projects within the life sciences community. Rather than focusing purely on the technical aspects underlying the currently provided solutions, we outline the design aspects and key characteristics that can be identified across major research approaches. Overall, we aim to provide significant insights into the road ahead by establishing ever-strengthening connections between EGI as a whole and the life sciences community.
Highlights
Life sciences have become a data-rich industry and with that, new issues emerge challenging the established ways of doing research
In the new era of Big Data, toward which life sciences are rapidly transitioning, data algorithms and knowledge are becoming increasingly available for all (Costa, 2014; Verheggen et al, 2014; Calabrese and Cannataro, 2015; Griebel et al, 2015)
Ever since 2007, when sequencers began giving copious amounts of data, life sciences have been steadily moving toward the analysis of massive data sets (Stein, 2010), by establishing new integrative infrastructures and proposing radical new ways of doing research (White, 2014)
Summary
With the increasingly rapid growth of data in life sciences we are witnessing a major transition in the way research is conducted, from hypothesis-driven studies to data-driven simulations of whole systems. Such approaches necessitate the use of large-scale computational resources and e-infrastructures, such as the European Grid Infrastructure (EGI). We aim to provide the state of the art of Grid/Cloud computing in EU research as viewed from within the field of life sciences, focusing on key infrastructures and projects within the life sciences community.
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