The Mnemosyne Genomics team has decades of experience providing bioinformatics solutions and services to researchers in the pharmaceutical, agricultural, clinical and biotechnological sectors. We have contributed to basic research, to R&D and to the development of research infrastructure in developing nations.

Reproducible Research

The problem - Bioinformatics services typically mean linking an experimental research team with a bioinformatics capability. Some raw data is converted into graphs, a list of genes and some salient observations. The computational workflow remains opaque at best; black box at worst and in many instances outsource bioinformatics leads to observations, results and interpretations that cannot be reproduced. Even the best written materials and methods will miss environmental subtleties that later confound reproducibility.

Mnemosyne Genomics solution - There remains a need for data provenance - regardless of the nuances of a project. From the diligent collection of md5 checksums to the archival of software versions, patches and source code the processes required for literate and functional computational biology are more involved than just scripting a workflow. We utilise open source software solutions to capture information such that studies are both reproducible and literate.

Literate Computing

The problem - Writing a computer script that can analyse, explore and contextualise some biological data requires skills. Many bioinformatics units see their workflows, scripts and architecture as trade secrets, intellectual property and information that can never be shared with the customer - sharing such information is a dilution of company value.

Mnemosyne Genomics solution - we strongly disagree with delivering results that are fundamentally irreproducible. Scripts and workflows evolve quickly, we wish to empower our customers and together open new research frontiers. In our projects a well documented "workflow" is a key deliverable and we hope that our project vignettes can be used by the customer to audit our work, to foster training and the communication as to how specific observations have been made.

Core competence

• Genomics - Mnemosyne Genomics staff have been involved in a wide range of whole genome studies - these range from the first plant genome, through primate genomes and into both ethnic pan-genomes and clinical genomes.