Foundational partnership enables access to novel datasets and innovation workflows through Eagle Genomics’ AI-augmented knowledge discovery platform

Cambridge and Norwich - 29 September 2021 - Today, Eagle Genomics, a pioneer in applying network science to biology, and leaders in bioscience research the Earlham Institute, are delighted to announce their new partnership focused on providing critical tools required to analyse, explore and exploit complex microbiome data. Applied across both academia and industry, the partnership will facilitate access to unique resources while accelerating data-driven collaboration.

As Eagle Genomics’ foundational knowledge partner, the Earlham Institute brings a wealth of expertise in genomics and bioinformatics, as well as developing and testing laboratory methods and computational biology pipelines to study microbial communities. The Institute has already developed a number of successful tools and datasets for bioinformaticians - such as Signalink, SalmoNet, STRONG and LotuS2.

Eagle Genomics’ platform, e[datascientist]™, applies network science to multi-dimensional life sciences data - including environmental and clinical metagenomes for multi-omics analysis. It accelerates research and development into the understanding of human-microbiome interactions to support innovation workflows, including the generation of product claims.

Anthony Finbow, CEO of Eagle Genomics, stated: "Eagle Genomics’ industry-leading open platform is helping drive the digital reinvention of life sciences R&D across numerous industries, from AgBio and food through to healthcare, personal care and beauty.

“Our partnership with the Institute is a clear demonstration of our commitment to enable a radical, global shift in microbiome science-led innovation. By harnessing nature - including its complex networks and associated multi-dimensional data - we can help tackle the world’s Grand Challenges while unlocking significant economic potential."

Dr Liliya Serazetdinova, Head of Business Development and Impact at the Earlham Institute, said: “This partnership is part of a big data revolution in terms of how multi-omics data will be accessed and analysed - combining open science and commercial R&D to benefit each partner and society.

“Eagle Genomics’ e[datascientist]™ platform gives our scientists the opportunity to share their work more widely, establish new connections, and use it as a testing ground - interrogating and integrating new datasets, as well as developing new tools and pipelines - to further advance our research and apply to the biotech industry.

“We’re really excited to be working with Eagle Genomics and look forward to seeing how this platform evolves, and involves more partners in the coming months.”

Eagle Genomics’ partnership with the Earlham Institute will range from collaborative R&D to consultancy work and licensing, as well as deploying e[datascientist]’s hosting and networking capabilities. It will also provide strategic insight as part of a steering group on new pipelines, and for example, could include research into:

* Classification and genome reconstruction in complex environments
* Biological signalling network resources for human and model organisms
* Global patterns of antimicrobial resistance found in microbes
* Investigating the persistence and evolution of human associated microbes

Dr Andrew Tingey, Senior Director, Global Licensing and IP Strategy at Eagle Genomics, said: “At Eagle, we’re using network science and world-leading AI tools to unlock the potential for innovation from complex multi-dimensional microbiome data. Our new partnership with the Earlham Institute will help support the global microbiome R&D community while shaping the future of metagenomics, linking world-leading bioinformatics pipelines, tools, and datasets.”

“We are delighted that the Earlham Institute is partnering with us, on our journey towards creating an open platform for data innovation.”

Eagle Genomics is currently in discussions with a range of other organisations to ensure that its platform continues to evolve as the burgeoning global life sciences knowledge discovery hub.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

About Eagle Genomics
Eagle Genomics is innovating at the intersection of biology, data sciences and bioinformatics to help drive the digital reinvention of the life sciences. Its award-winning AI-augmented knowledge discovery platform, e[datascientist]™, empowers scientists to exploit multi-dimensional data to help companies conduct science-led innovation for next-generation products. It supports the entire innovation workflow - from hypothesis through insight to product claims – helping bring novel, safer and sustainable products to market, faster, across the food, personal care, cosmetics and agritech industries.

Eagle Genomics is forging strategic relationships with leading scientific establishments focused on the microbiome and in the UK has helped shape the Microbiome Strategic Roadmap. A Cambridge, UK-headquartered business with a global presence, it has sites in London’s Knowledge Quarter, Hyderabad, India, New York’s Genome Center as well as Paris’ Station F and Potsdam Science Park, Germany. Find out more at www.eaglegenomics.com.

About the Earlham Institute
The Earlham Institute (EI) is a world-leading research Institute focusing on the development of genomics and computational biology. EI is based within the Norwich Research Park and is one of eight institutes that receive strategic funding from Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council (BBSRC) - £5.43m in 2017/18 - as well as support from other research funders. EI operates a National Capability to promote the application of genomics and bioinformatics to advance bioscience research and innovation.

EI offers a state of the art DNA sequencing facility, unique by its operation of multiple complementary technologies for data generation. The Institute is a UK hub for innovative bioinformatics through research, analysis and interpretation of multiple, complex data sets. It hosts one of the largest computing hardware facilities dedicated to life science research in Europe. It is also actively involved in developing novel platforms to provide access to computational tools and processing capacity for multiple academic and industrial users and promoting applications of computational Bioscience. Additionally, the Institute offers a training programme through courses and workshops, and an outreach programme targeting key stakeholders, and wider public audiences through dialogue and science communication activities.
www.earlham.ac.uk /@EarlhamInst

The Korcsmaros Group of the Earlham Institute and the Quadram Institute mainly focuses on improving our understanding of biological systems (cell-cell and cell-microbe interactomes) related to gut homeostasis, and precision medicine and personalised microbial therapies for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). For this, they provide various, gap-filling network resources] and computational pipelines.

The Hildebrand Group at the Earlham Institute and the Quadram institute is investigating the persistence and evolution of human associated bacteria. For this they are developing the LotuS2 amplicon sequencing pipeline and the shotgun metagenomic focused MATAFILER pipeline.

The Technology Algorithms Group, led by Dr Richard Leggett, at the Earlham Institute is interested in developing new methods for analysis of complex environmental and clinical microbial communities using long read sequencing platforms.

The Quince Group at the Earlham Institute and the Quadram Institutes has experience in metagenome analysis pipelines, genome and strain reconstruction from metagenomes, and integrated analysis of human microbiome ‘omics data.

For more information, please contact:

Earlham Institute

Greg Bowker, Head of Communications
Greg.Bowker@earlham.ac.uk

Hayley London, Media and Communications Officer
hayley.london@earlham.ac.uk

Eagle Genomics
Dr Priya Kalia, Global Communications
priya.kalia@eaglegenomics.com

Eagle Genomics Media Enquiries
Carina Birt, Sarum PR
+44 7970 006624
carina@sarumpr.com