Sun Microsystems hardware and software platforms have been selected for the first portal for life science research. The portal, at
www.DoubleTwist.com
, offers genetic scientists the ability to search a large number of public and private genetics databases, isolate sequences, process queries, and even purchase scientific products on-line.
DoubleTwist chose Sun hardware and software platforms because they provide the rock-solid performance and network functionality needed for a database-and processing-intensive application.
Java technology is a key component of the portal, as the basis of both the user-friendly Web interface and the underlying technology for building the site's agents. These agents are small pieces of automated software that allow researchers to find and match DNA or protein sequences, analyse genomic sequences, and monitor the evolution of sequence databases.
"The DoubleTwist portal makes it possible for more scientists to attack the challenges of genomics research with state-of-the-art tools, which may accelerate the rate of new drug discovery, among other benefits," says Greg Papadopoulos, chief technology officer at Sun Microsystems. "We were very pleased to provide the technology to support this revolutionary effort, because it advances both genetics research and the dot.com economy."
"The Sun solution is an integral part of DoubleTwist's ability to host on-line genetic research on the Web," says Robert Williamson, Chief Operating Officer at DoubleTwist. "Sun is a leader in dot.com infrastructure and this partnership demonstrates Sun's ability to provide scalable technology that can handle the sophisticated requirements of a life sciences portal."
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