Wageningen UR has introduced a supercomputer (High Performance Computing) to enable researchers and companies to make comprehensive analyses of breeding values in order to select the best animals and plants for cross breeding
The companies involved in venture are Hendrix Genetics, COBB Europe, CRV and TOPIGS. They intend to use the HPC for both their core activities and long-term research. The HPC is, moreover, not only suitable for researchers in animal breeding, but also in plant breeding and other research areas where HPC is becoming increasingly important.
Scientists and researchers are increasingly required to process large volumes of data. As a result of the recent developments in DNA sequencing technology in particular, the amount of data being made available has risen explosively. Therefore, it is vital that there is sufficient computing power available to make complex calculations based on this ever increasing data flow.
Bernard de Geus, director of Breed4Food, sees the introduction of the HPC as a very important step in research in the area of animal breeding and an example of public-private cooperation between companies and knowledge institutions.
“Science and technology are developing at a tremendous rate. It is very important that both parties have a research facility close by. This enables them to consult with one another intensively and new scientific information obtained as a result of this can be translated quickly into innovation at the companies,” de Geus added.
