About Us
Advancing biomedical research through bioinformatics, innovation, and collaboration.
Welcome to the Bioinformatics Hub
The Bioinformatics Hub serves as the pivotal nexus for Bioinformatics at the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases.
Our mission is to facilitate groundbreaking discoveries by equipping researchers with comprehensive access to state-of-the-art methods, shared resources, and an infrastructure that encourages collaborative engagement across disciplines. At the intersection of biological research and computational algorithms, the Bioinformatics Hub champions the principles of transparency, openness, and reproducibility in scientific inquiry. We are committed to fostering a research environment that not only accelerates innovation but also enhances collaboration among investigators, thereby empowering them to challenge conventional boundaries in the field of chronic disease research.
Our vision is to ensure that all researchers, regardless of their specific domain, are provided with the essential resources and support necessary to advance their work. By fostering an inclusive and dynamic research ecosystem, we aim to drive transformative advances that can lead to improved outcomes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic diseases.
The Bioinformatics Hub stands on a simple principle: rigorous analytical support should not be reserved for those with the largest grants. We are particularly committed to junior faculty across the full project lifecycle — from intake through manuscript submission — and to investigators with limited grant funding, who often have the most to gain from analytical partnership but the fewest resources to access it. We invite all researchers to engage with us and explore the opportunities our platform offers, as we work together to shape the future of biomedical research.
Choose a collaborator who has done the science — not just the analysis.
Our Team
Meet our amazing members
Heewon Seo, MSc, PhD
Senior Bioinformatics ScientistHeewon leads the Bioinformatics Hub, specializing in omics data analysis and microbiome research. He is committed to building transparent, reproducible workflows that support collaborative biomedical research.
Claude
AI CollaboratorAn AI research collaborator assisting with bioinformatics workflow development, scientific communication, and computational problem-solving.
Expertise
What we do
Workflow Design
We create streamlined and reproducible bioinformatics workflows tailored to your research needs.
Method Development
We build and implement advanced computational methods to tackle complex biological questions.
Data Management
We design and maintain structured databases to ensure reliable, scalable, and accessible research data.
Collaboration Guidelines
Principles of Bioinformatics Support and Engagement
The Bioinformatics Hub is committed to providing high-quality analytical support that strengthens the research efforts of our collaborators. To ensure successful and efficient collaborations, we ask that all research groups familiarize themselves with the following guiding principles before initiating a project with our team.
Early involvement in study design
Engaging our team at the study design stage is critical for the success of your project. Early collaboration allows us to understand the research scope, experimental objectives, and data generation plans. This enables us to contribute to sound study design, recommend appropriate analytical methods, and ensure that data collection aligns with downstream bioinformatics analyses.
Data readiness and project continuity
The Bioinformatics Hub supports active and scientifically viable projects. We do not provide analyses for legacy, incomplete, or abandoned datasets. Please ensure that your data are of sufficient quality and that your project has a clear and current research context before requesting analytical support.
Planning, capacity, and timelines
Our analytical resources are limited and scheduled to accommodate multiple concurrent projects. To maintain equitable access and timely delivery, collaborators must discuss project timelines and priorities prior to initiating a request. We are unable to accommodate last-minute or “urgent” requests that have not been planned in advance.
Project Intake and Initiation Process
Principles of Project Intake and Analytical Onboarding
To provide high-quality bioinformatics support, the Bioinformatics Hub requires a clear understanding of each project at the outset. This includes the study design, research objectives, sample numbers, project timeline, and the types of data available for analysis. Because bioinformatics workflows depend on the quality, structure, and completeness of the underlying data, timely data sharing and clear project context are essential for effective collaboration.
Initial project inquiry
All new projects should begin with a brief inquiry submitted through our Collaboration Request Form. Collaborators should provide a concise overview of the project, including the study aims, number of samples, available data, and anticipated timelines. This information allows our team to assess the scope and feasibility of the request and determine the most appropriate next steps. Following this review, we will contact you to arrange an initial meeting.
Project initiation and documentation
After the initial discussion, collaborators will be asked to complete a Project Initiation Document (PID). This document will be pre-populated using information from the inquiry form and the initial meeting. The PID serves to confirm the scope of work and establish shared expectations, including project deliverables, estimated costs, and anticipated timelines. Completion of this document is required before analytical work begins.
Quality control, analysis reporting, and follow-up
Analysis results will be delivered through an online report within the agreed project timeline. Reports may include quality control summaries, diagnostic plots, reproducible code, and analytical outputs, depending on the nature of the project. Collaborators are welcome to request follow-up analyses, refinements, or additional interpretation after receiving the report. To support project continuity and data management, we ask that such requests be made before project materials are archived, typically within one month of report delivery.
While we strive to meet all projected timelines, delays may occur due to project complexity or resource availability. In such cases, we will communicate progress updates on a regular basis so that collaborators remain informed of project status.