Research Tools
Bioinformatics Resources and Computational Tools
Modern life science research generates vast amounts of biological data from genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and other high-throughput technologies. Transforming these data into meaningful biological insights requires robust computational tools and accessible analytical resources.
Bioinformatics plays a critical role in enabling researchers to explore complex biological systems, analyze pathogen diversity, investigate host–pathogen interactions, and support the development of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.
At VIDO, scientists develop open and accessible bioinformatics tools, databases, and computational workflows designed to support the global research community. These resources aim to simplify complex analyses, promote reproducible research, and accelerate discoveries in infectious disease biology and beyond.
Available resources:
wiseFlu (Beta)
Problem
Influenza viruses evolve rapidly through mutation and reassortment, while global sequencing efforts generate thousands of viral genomes each year. Identifying genetic changes that may affect vaccine effectiveness or outbreak dynamics is challenging.
Solution
wiseFlu is a computational platform for influenza genomic analysis and surveillance that enables researchers to monitor viral evolution in near real time.
Key capabilities
- Dynamic tracking of influenza genomic variation
- Phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis
- Identification of mutations relevant to vaccine effectiveness
- Weekly influenza surveillance reporting
PathwayDenester
Problem
Pathway enrichment analyses often produce overlapping pathways that can obscure meaningful biological insights and complicate interpretation.
Solution
PathwayDenester applies statistical testing to determine which pathways provide distinct biological signals beyond more significant overlapping pathways.
Key capabilities
- Statistical evaluation of pathway distinctiveness
- Identification of redundant or “hitchhiker” pathways
- Server-side analysis with no local software installation required
- Downloadable tables and pathway network visualization outputs
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