Dive Brief:
- Illumina said Monday it will collaborate with computer chip maker Nvidia on technology platforms to analyze multiomic data for clinical research, genomics artificial intelligence development and drug discovery.
- The collaboration combines Illumina’s sequencing technologies and software with Nvidia’s computing and AI capabilities to build biological foundation models.
- The partnership is one of several healthcare collaborations Nvidia unveiled Monday focused on expanding the adoption of AI in the life sciences industry.
Dive Insight:
In partnering with Nvidia, Illumina aims to provide researchers with advanced tools that apply generative AI to analyze the vast amounts of data involved in multiomic research, an approach combining data from multiple “omic” groups including genomics, transcriptomics and epigenetics.
The collaboration will allow Illumina to use Nvidia accelerated computing and AI tools for its multiomics analysis software and workflows, making analysis of the human genome more accessible to researchers, pharmaceutical companies and other life sciences customers, Nvidia said.
Nvidia and Illumina plan to collaborate for multiomics data analysis on Illumina’s connected analytics platform, in addition to developing new biology foundation models. Illumina will integrate its Dragen analysis software and connected analytics with Nvidia’s accelerated computing.
“Our ability to combine the power of AI with multiomics data is revolutionizing how we can understand disease,” Steve Barnard, Illumina’s chief technology officer, said in Nvidia’s statement. “We aim to enable pharma and biotech companies to unlock their own multiomics data to uncover transformative insights and improve success rates in developing lifesaving therapies.”
Nvidia said it is also partnering with Iqvia, Mayo Clinic and Arc Institute to use its technologies to advance drug discovery and digital pathology.
