Silicon Genetics and Optimal Design, Sprl.,
announced today a distribution agreement under which Silicon Genetics
will market on a worldwide basis, the new clustering algorithm,
ArrayMiner™, from Optimal Design for use in conjunction with its
gene expression analysis desktop application, GeneSpring™.
ArrayMiner is designed to address the
complex problem of clustering gene expression data. Such clustering
allows individual genes to be grouped together based on the
similarity of their expression profiles. Genes so grouped are
implicated as being closely associated biologically. This may
mean having the same regulatory control elements or being part
of the same pathway, among other possibilities. ArrayMiner
uses genetic algorithms, a modern optimization technique inspired
by evolution of species in nature, resulting in a sophisticated
optimization process to group the genes appropriately.
Silicon Genetics' flagship product, GeneSpring,
is a leading desktop solution for conducting comprehensive microarray-based
gene expression analyses. Using GeneSpring, researchers can
go from analyzing single gene/single experiments to whole genomes
and classes of experiments involving thousands of genes and
multiple parameters such as time, strains, phenotypes, tissue
types, disease state, and developmental stage. Users can export
the results of analyses to external application programs or
databases, including the web-based GeNet™, for storing, sharing
and comparing results with other colleagues.
Andrew Conway, President and CEO of Silicon
Genetics said, "We are delighted to have Optimal Design's algorithms
available from within GeneSpring. GeneSpring provides many useful
algorithms and a flexible external program interface through
which users can invoke other algorithms such as ArrayMiner.
The user can then use the visualization, cross- referencing
and archiving facilities of the Silicon Genetics range of products
on the results."
“Silicon Genetics is a leading actor
in gene expression analysis software and their GeneSpring(TM)
software is one of the best and most respected in the life sciences
industry,” said Emanuel Falkenauer, President and CEO of Optimal
Design. “By linking ArrayMiner with GeneSpring, this collaboration
will enable Optimal Design to bring our high-performance clustering
technology to a wide audience of researchers, enabling them
to analyze their data with unprecedented reliability and ease,
which will improve the quality and efficiency of their research.”
Silicon Genetics will offer ArrayMiner
from its web-site. More information can be found at www.sigenetics.com/Products/GeneSpring/extprog.html
where a time-limited demonstration copy ArrayMiner can be obtained
for evaluation. The software is available under a renewable
yearly license.
About Optimal Design
Optimal Design, Sprl., a Belgian company,
is a spin-off of Brussels University (ULB). Building upon more
than a decade of top quality research into Genetic Algorithms
by its founders, Optimal Design specializes in development of
high-performance optimization software solving highly complex
problems arising in production planning, engineering and science.
Additional information on Optimal Design is available at www.optimaldesign.com.
About Silicon Genetics
Silicon Genetics is a leader in developing
and commercializing gene and protein expression informatics.
By combining expertise in biology and information technology,
Silicon Genetics offers a suite of desktop and server-based
applications that together form an integrated solution for gathering,
analyzing, storing, retrieving and mining the results of gene
expression research. This integrated solution allows researchers
to collaborate better, leverage their cumulative learning and
improve the efficiency of the discovery process. Silicon
Genetics’ customers include pharmaceutical, biotechnology, diagnostics,
consumer products and agriculture companies, as well as leading
academic, government and other non-profit research institutions.
To date, over 3,000 scientists at more than 250 research organizations
are using Silicon Genetics’ gene expression products.
Additional information about Silicon Genetics and its GeneSpring(TM)
and GeNet(TM) products can be found at www.sigenetics.com.
