Sophisticated computational technology is enabling biologists to collect data that could lead to all types of science breakthroughs.
The Department of Energy's Oak Ridge and Pacific Northwest national laboratories are teaming to learn about new aspects of biological research through the use of data-intensive computing capabilities.
ORNL research scientist Nagiza Samatova said computational technology provides biologists and researchers in similar fields with data that can lead to discoveries in medical research and other biology-related fields.
"The biology is also not only a computer intensive problem, it is also a date intensive problem," Samatova said. "We realized recently that there is a strong need for machines that have very unique characteristics such as very big memory."
Samatova says supercomputing capabilities at Oak Ridge aid the progress of biological research.
"Essentially without this kind of impact and revolutionary coupling of information technology, computation and biology with emphasis like decoding of human DNA would not be possible," Samatova said.
ORNL is managed by UT-Battelle for the Department of Energy.