Microsoft's Bioit Alliance
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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Inside the Microsoft’s BioIT Alliance n 2006, Microsoft launched the BioIT Alliance. The project was largely the work of Microsoft executive Don Rule, and is now directed by Rudolph Poten- zone, Microsoft’s worldwide industry technology strategist for pharmaceuti- cals (and the former CEO of LION). Since its launch, the BioIT Alliance has grown to more than 70 members, with a stated goal of increasing membership to over 100 by year-end. While the major- ity are well known vendors in the industry—such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waters, IInforSense, Sun, AcitveMotif, Agilent, Ocimum Biosolutions, and ChemAxon—others are relatively unknown players, including many from Europe. A variety of other organi- zations, including IUPAC, a chemical standards body, and university groups (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) have also joined. There is a possibility that some pharma- ceutical companies might join as well. Priorities for the alliance, as Potenzone sees it, include communication— helping companies connect that hadn’t contemplated working together. To be sure, the BioIT Alliance encourages companies to use and adapt relevant Micro- soft technologies, but it also forms a nucleus of companies that, to a degree, can share pre-competitive tools, technologies and strategies. How can companies integrate research information and business intelligence for themselves and their clients? “We’re really branching out beyond just bio-IT,” Potenzone told Bio•IT World last year. “I think people tend to think of bio-IT as more focused on bioinformatics. We’re definitely seeing a branching out further downstream into the clinical world and into medical devices, which formally is all part of bio-IT.” The BioIT Alliance website includes regular updates on news and activities of the member organizations (www.bio- italliance.org.) A recent case study, for example, showcases Microsoft’s collaboration with Pfizer and Infosys Technolo- gies to develop The Biologist Workbench to allow research- ers to better visualize data. The Alliance’s focus is building with the partner com- munity real practical solutions that can positively impact the drug development pipeline. With Microsoft dedicating growing resources in the life sciences space, the future is looking very good indeed. Bio•IT World is pleased to publish this special sup- plement, with support from Microsoft and the participating Alliance members, to pro- vide further insight into the activities of the Alliance and some of its part- ners, and to encourage other groups to take a fresh look at the BioIT Alliance. www.bio-itworld.com SEPTEMBER 2008 Bio•iT World SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Inside the THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC Thermo Fisher Scientific Offers Enterprise Document Management Solution The centralization and harmonization of unanswered until now, for a secure, cost and functionality, further cements the laboratory data is a critical and strategic effective, validated content management relationship between Thermo Fisher part of the global growth of any pharmaceu- solution that incorporates structured data Scientific and Microsoft to deliver next- tical company. Large-scale deployments from LIMS, chromatography data system generation and best of breed open solu- of integrated and web-based systems can (CDS) and other enterprise systems along tions. “We’re thrilled with the extent of now be relied upon to be more consistent with unstructured information that support our ongoing relationship with Thermo and more rapid because purpose-built laboratory processes, all in a completely Fisher Scientific,” said Mike Naimoli, U.S. laboratory information management sys- validated solution. In the past solutions life sciences industry solutions director, tems (LIMS), like Thermo Scientific Watson have been incomplete, cumbersome and Microsoft Corporation. “Organizations LIMS™, can not only facilitate superior expensive. 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It also allows for faster and complete document “By offering an enter- more automated review and submission management and col- prise content manage- of reports. For bioanalytical laboratories laboration system for ment solution that is and CROs around the world, Thermo managing documents, tightly integrated with David Champagne Scientific Watson LIMS™ provides the records (e.g. training our LIMS and CDS work- detailed protocols necessary for DMPK records), SOP’s (standard operating pro- flow for regulated laboratory environ- and bioanalytical studies in drug discovery cedures), activities and other information ments, Thermo Fisher is better positioned along with maximum flexibility and con- critical to the enterprise. to offer our customers the most compre- figurability so that each lab can integrate Thermo Fisher Scientific, the leader hensive informatics solution in the indus- workflows or instrumentation across study in providing purpose-built informat- try,” concludes Dave Champagne. protocols as required. ics software solutions, has partnered For a free webinar on NextDocs docu- It’s also critical for organizations to with Microsoft, the technology leader, ment management solutions or for more implement enterprise-wide document as a fellow member of the Microsoft information about Thermo Scientific management and collaboration tools to BioIT Alliance. 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Your time. +1 866 463 6522 • marketing.informatics@thermofi sher.com Moving science forward Thermo_Bio-IT_HR.indd 1 7/29/08 3:16:28 PM SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION Inside the ACTIVE MOTIF Accelerating Downstream Understanding of Next-Gen Sequence Data What distinguishes your company from databases in about two weeks its competitors and makes it unique? using TimeLogic hardware. They TimeLogic, a brand of Active Motif, has calculated that this task would been in the business of supplying bioinfor- have taken one century on a matics tools to the life science community standard server. for over 10 years. We offer a variety of hard- ware products ranging from CodeQuest™ What prompted you to join workstations to multi-server DeCypher® the Microsoft Bio-IT Alliance enterprise solutions. 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