Genome Annotation Infrastructure Roadmap for Australia

This document summarises genome annotation tools and methodologies, how the Australian life science research community currently undertakes this work as well as common data-, software- or compute-related infrastructure challenges faced by that community when using current approaches (information obtained through consultation with a ‘Special Interest Group’ (SIG) of researchers undertaking genome annotation across Australia).

Also included is a high level description of key components of an envisaged shared infrastructure for Australia, which, when implemented, would enable Australian researchers from a wide range of institutions to perform genome annotation work who would otherwise be unable to do so because of the reported data-, software- or compute-related roadblocks. 

This document has incorporated feedback on earlier versions received from the Genome Annotation SIG, other Australian researchers undertaking genome annotation, the Ensembl team at EMBL-EBI, and Australian research IT infrastructure partners.

Implementation of the infrastructure outlined in this roadmap document will begin in 2020.