The challenge of Omics Solution: End-to-end Omics Test Made Simple

The challenge of Omics Solutions: thousands of analyses from single datatypes. Omics tests are tests that rely on large biological datatypes, often times producing gigabytes of data. This data has to then be computed using bioinformatics algorithms, resulting in insights that can inform healthcare decisions, crops yields and much more.

From any single datatype many bioinformatics approaches and algorithms can be run to generate many different insights and importantly there is no single bioinformatics supplier that is responsible for all these algorithms. Algorithms are generated by many different groups, including: communities, consortia, academics, diagnostics companies, and biopharma. 

The challenge is then how to ensure access to such a broad range of algorithms from such a breadth of supplier partners. Whilst also being mindful of the unique requirements of our customers and ultimately their patients and users.

The number of algorithms, APIs and workflows makes this a complex problem to solve, requiring precise management to ensure scalability and reliability. In the past, adding new bioinformatics suppliers or customisations for customers could have taken weeks or even months, forcing us to prioritise certain solutions and use cases over others.

This latest update changes the game.

Omics’ Complexity: hub-and-spoke model

At the centre of Hurdle is a platform built on reliability, ensuring both data integrity and trusted results.It coordinates sample collection and transport, ensures labs or our in-house teams convert samples into biological data, and delivers results through multiple channels to customers. Maintaining a robust platform is essential to guarantee consistency, timeliness and reliability.

To protect the strength of the hub while removing barriers to onboarding bioinformatics suppliers, we have launched our “externally managed pipelines” solution. This solution allows our platform to orchestrate end-to-end omics tests with the reliability and robustness our customers expect, whilst maintaining a highly dynamic and flexible bioinformatics solution.

What does this mean? This means that Hurdle can now configure and manage complete end-to-end omics tests that rely on Third Party bioinformatics algorithms via APIs, Docker images, or scripts. These omics tests are now accessible through the Hurdle Platform for all our customers.

This is a huge step-change in what was possible from Omics tests. Hurdle has now abstracted away the physical complexity of creating these solutions, accelerating Omics innovations for the benefit of innovators, our customers and ultimately patients and users globally.

An example spoke: Rapidly Configuring SelfDecode Bioinformatics Reports 

Through our SelfDecode partnership, our customers have access hundreds of genomics reports. Typically, our customers only want access to five to ten that matter for their intended use cases. With this update our platform now configures these custom products in minutes, selecting only the reports each customer needs. In addition, because of the hub-and-spoke model, any changes to SelfDecode’s algorithms, even major updates, are completed in days without risk to the platform.

Strengthening the Hub: Verifying data to detect issues before they happen

As part of this update, we have also introduced automated verification of incoming omics data. Routine checks confirm data integrity, preventing mismatches or incomplete files before they affect results. Any anomaly triggers internal reviews and immediate resolution with the relevant partner.

These verifications provide our customers with even greater system robustness and reliability for omics tests, and strengthen the power of Hurdle’s Omics Solution.

Conclusion: Accelerating Omics Innovation

This update unlocks a future of accelerated innovation in omics products without compromising reliability. Whether you bring your own algorithms, use our partners, or combine both, Hurdle gives you the freedom to design the solution you need.

By Pierric Descamps - Senior Product Manager, Hurdle.Bio