Bioinformatics core facility
The Bioinformatics Core Facility supports researchers across the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences to transform biological data into meaningful insights. We provide expertise across the data analysis workflow, including data processing, statistical analysis, visualisation and interpretation.
Our team of bioinformatics specialists works collaboratively with researchers to develop analysis strategies, interpret results and deliver publication-ready outputs. We support researchers at all career stages and welcome enquiries from universities, research institutes and industry.
Bioinformatics clinics
Have a bioinformatics problem you would like help with? Meet one-to-one with a bioinformatician for advice on analysis planning, tools, workflows, and troubleshooting across biological data analysis, statistics, programming, and computational methods. This service is open to FHMS staff and postgraduate students.
Request help with a project
Complete the Bioinformatics Analysis Request Form to tell us about your project. Provide as much information as you can and one of our team will then contact you to discuss your requirements, scope the work, and outline the next steps before any analysis begins. We aim to respond to all requests within one working day.
Our services and expertise
We support researchers across the entire bioinformatics analysis workflow, from raw data through to publication-ready results.
The examples below highlight our current areas of expertise and are not exhaustive. We regularly develop new analytical workflows to support emerging research needs. If your project requires a different approach or analysis, we'd be happy to discuss how we can help.
Data Management
- Sourcing genomic and transcriptomic data from online repositories
- Data cleaning, wrangling, and format conversion
- Processing and preparation of datasets for downstream analysis
- Microarray data processing and differential expression analysis
- Phenomic data analysis from Biolog platforms
Bioinformatics & Omics Analysis
- DNA-, RNA-, and Tn-seq analysis, including genome assembly, variant calling, RNA-seq alignment, and quantification
- ChIP-seq and ChIP-on-Chip data analysis
- Sequence analysis and manipulation, including sequence alignment and motif searches
- Metabolomics data processing from mass spectrometry instruments
Statistics, Machine Learning & Modelling
- Exploratory data analysis, including PCA, descriptive statistics, histograms, and boxplots
- Statistical analysis, including mixture models, ANOVA, Kaplan–Meier estimation, power calculations, and multivariate regression
- Data visualisation, including standard and custom-made plots
- Data mining approaches, including clustering, multidimensional scaling, artificial neural networks, and fuzzy logic
- Machine learning and classification, including short time-series analysis and linear models
- Systems analysis, including flux balance analysis of genome-scale metabolic networks (GSMNs) and modelling/simulation using tools such as SurreyFBA and QSSPN
Software & Digital Solutions
- Software package development
- Bespoke tool development
- Interactive web applications
- Analytical pipeline development
Resources
- Two full time staff members
- Linux servers comprising 64 CPUs, 128GB RAM.
How we work with you
| Consulting advice | We offer bioinformatics and data analysis guidance, including software support, analysis planning, and troubleshooting. Researchers conduct the analyses themselves, with our team providing expert advice and support. The first eight hours are free, after which support is charged at the Facility’s standard technician rate. |
| Projects | We deliver analysis according to an agreed plan, providing raw and processed data, standard figures, and detailed methods. |
| Clinics | Online or face-to-face sessions for FHMS staff and postgraduate students. The first hour is free; after that, charged at the standard technician rate. |
| Training | Online workshops on how to use the Facility's pipelines and packages. Free for FHMS staff and students. |
Making an enquiry
Email us at bioinformatics@surrey.ac.uk. We aim to respond within one working day.
For new projects, requests should come from the Principal Investigator and include the funding source and any allocation to the Bioinformatics Facility. This helps us prioritise requests and plan our workload.
If you are preparing a grant application that will require bioinformatics support, please contact us at least four weeks before submission. This allows us to advise on feasibility, ensure appropriate resource is included in the proposal, and plan project delivery. Funded projects are our highest priority.
Our team
Core Facility Head
Carla Moller-Levet
Experimental Officer - Bioinformatics
Support staff
Dr Emily Wasson
Bioinformatics Scientist
Academic Lead
Professor Andre Gerber
Professor of RNA Biology
Selected publications
- Butler, R.E. et al. Control of replication and gene expression by ADP-ribosylation of DNA in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. EMBO J 44, 3468–3491 (2025).
- Leng, J. et al. Early-life gut bacterial community structure predicts disease risk and athletic performance in horses bred for racing. Sci Rep 14, 17124 (2024).