MicroScope is an integrated platform to support microbial genomes (re)annotation and comparative analysis. The current project aims at designing a version of the MicroScope platform using Cloud technologies to progressively switch into a Software as a Service (SaaS) distribution mode.
This technical evolution will require several adaptations of the current architecture in:
- the integration of the MicroScope components in a single appliance
- the adaptation of workflows for dynamic provisioning of cluster workers
- the setup of a service providing and handling the update of the required reference databanks for the different MicroScope instances.
Additional functionalities will also be developed:
- user interfaces for data and workflow management
- a central repository of MicroScope genomes to allow users to share their data within the community of microbiologist.
The main purpose of the project is to provide biologists with an on-demand MicroScope solution without any requirement of specific computational skills and with minimal user support. Furthermore, it should increase the flexibility in scale and cost for the needs of computation and storage to face the challenge of Big Data in genomics.
These technological developments will be made in collaboration between the CEA/Genoscope (LABGeM) and the Institut Français de Bioinformatique (IFB).
It could be the starting point of a new ELIXIR pilot project (www.elixir.eu) in the domain of microbial genomics.