CCR to Support NY Genome Center

Genomic Research.

Published October 25, 2016 This content is archived.

NYS Governor, Andrew Cuomo, announced his intentions to authorize a $100 million collaboration between UB and the NYS Genome Center in NYC. 

$50 Million Targeted to UB

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the research work “will create an entirely new industry for Western New York.’’
Andrew Cuomo, Governor
NY State

The initiative is modeled after the governor’s successful blueprint for nanotechnology innovation in Albany, which has produced groundbreaking research, attracted significant private investment to the region and created thousands of new jobs.

The governor’s investment in UB and NYGC is expected to spur the development of companies on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus that support genomic medicine, such as companies that will focus on diagnostics and information technology essential to breakthroughs in personalized medicine.

UB was selected as co-lead for the effort because of its expertise in high performance computing, combined with recognized national leadership in genomics and medical research and analysis of patient data using the vast capabilities within its Center for Computational Research, New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, and Institute for Healthcare Informatics. Each of these UB research centers reside on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC).

Thomas Furlani, the director of UB's Center for Computational Research, said the money will help upgrade existing facilities to increase the computing and storing capacity of data. Currently, Furlani said the UB facility crunches two to three terabytes of data per day – and one terabyte is roughly the equivalent of the information contained in 100,000 phone books. Furlani said it used to take 10 years to map a human genome. Now, it takes one day.  But researchers want to get results even faster.  "Patients can't wait that long," Furlani said. "We're going to be able to get answers to our scientific questions much quicker."

For more press coverage, please click on the links to the right.