CGAT provides assistance to UK-based research groups. Please contact us if you are a principal investigator and planning to use or are already using next-generation sequencing data. Collaborating with CGAT, UK researchers can benefit from CGAT in the following ways:

CGAT provides expertise in computational genomics and the analysis of next-generation sequencing data. CGAT is associated with the Chris Ponting group at the Functional Genomics Unit in Oxford. The group has been involved in many genome projects (human, mouse, rat, chicken, dog, monodelphis, platypus, zebrafinch, ...) and has a strong track record of gaining non-trivial insights from genomic data. Researchers in the group have experience in genomic analysis, evolutionary analysis and analysis of next-generation sequencing data (variation data, RNA-Seq, ChIP-Seq, ...).

CGAT provides computational resources. The processing of next-generation data demands storage and processing capacity that is usually not present in an experimental lab. By collaborating with CGAT, analyses can run on CGAT's servers.

CGAT provides a dedicated post-doctoral researcher. After the initial processing of the data has finished, the interpretation of the data requires the attention of trained personnel. Each project is assigned a CGAT post-doctoral researcher able to formulate and execute analyses that are required to address the project's hypotheses.

Collaborative model

CGAT's focus is on science. Assistance is provided only within the framework of a scientific collaboration. We believe the collaborative model provides a win-win situation for UK science. Scientists collaborating with CGAT are able to make the most out of next-generation sequencing technologies while CGAT's post-doctoral trainees gain insight into a variety of genome-related fields. The result of the collaborative model is high impact research resulting in high impact publications under a joint first authorship model.

CGAT only accepts projects of high scientific value. Projects are selected based on the strength of their underlying hypothesis and the potential to gain important biological or biomedical insights. CGAT's Scientific Advisory Board assists the CGAT director in selecting high value scientific project proposals.

CGAT is not a service. No additional costs for the analysis are incurred by entering a collaboration.

Project proposals

CGAT is always interested to hear about exciting projects. First inquiries can be quite informal (see our Contact Details), but should be followed up by a project proposal (see the procedure for project proposals).