Scaling Genetics Research with Cloud Computing

Advancements in technology over the past decade have drastically reduced the cost of sequencing the human genome, enabling researchers to conduct large-scale population studies that generate vast amounts of data. These studies require substantial computing resources, often straining on-premise systems due to storage expansion logistics, command line interface challenges, and compute resource limitations. Graduate students, often inexperienced with command line interfaces, face a steep learning curve, while IT teams must manage and optimize the high workload of an on-premise HPC system, including archiving and disaster recovery management. Cloud services like Rescale offer a solution by providing scalable, flexible, and instantly available compute and storage resources, allowing researchers to efficiently manage data and meet deadlines. By migrating data to cloud platforms, researchers can enhance the speed and scale of their analyses, leading to quicker discoveries that contribute to advancements in personalized medicine and potentially improve individual health outcomes.