The “computer ranch” at the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research (SFBR) received a $2 million federal grant which will allow it to double their computing power and increase their storage capacity 20-fold this summer. The “computer ranch” is home of the world’s largest clusters of computers for human gene research.

SFBR will used the grant money to manufacture and install over 5,000 linked processors in the computing center, bringing their total to 8,004 to calculate and analyze genetic code. The expansion will allow scientists to study more of the genome and eventually map the entire genome sequencing process of each test subject.

“Our expansion will provide us with sufficient computational firepower to handle the coming flood of whole human genome sequencing, which will become cost-effective in the next one to two years,” said John Blangero, Ph.D, a statistical geneticist and director of the “computer ranch.” “This investment will keep the Foundation at the forefront of the expanding genetic frontier.”

The federal grant is courtesy of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) which was part of the stimulus program of 2009. Money was given to the National Center for Research Resources to award to research facilities in the U.S. Based in San Antonio, Texas, SFBR scientists direct and support studies to further research in heart disease, diabetes, obesity, psychiatric illnesses and brain structure. The foundation is the leading independent biomedical research institution in the world and partners with other research institutions to advance the study of life-changing diseases.

Texas-based M&A Technology will manufacture, install and maintain the processors.

Source: Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research