Full Spectrum Next Generation Sequencing, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics:

Premium, Certified Services at Competitive Prices

Biostatistics for Next Generation Sequencing Data:

Research and Testing Laboratory offers comprehensive biostatistical consulting services. The explosive growth in sequencing technologies over the last few years has been paralleled by rapid growth in the development of bioinformatic and statistical tools for managing and analyzing sequencing data. This is especially true within the domain of microbial sequencing, where expertise in bioinformatics must be matched by expertise in the analysis of data relevant to ecological communities. Our mission is to stay abreast of this growth and maintain a suite of custom analysis pipelines that serves the needs of our clients.

​123456Rarefaction Plot of Species RichnessRarefaction plot illustrating the accumulation and saturation of species richness with increased sampling effort per sample.α Diversity MetricsComparison of species richness (one of many alpha diversity metrics) across groups.Relative AbundancesBar plot illustrating relative abundances of top 20 most dominant bacterial genera across groups and samples.Principal Coordinate AnalysisPrincipal coordinate analysis using the UniFrac metric to summarize community trends among groups. Significance of group differences is included for reference.Heatmap of Relative AbundancesHeatmap illustrating relative abundances of 35 most dominant bacterial genera Across groups and samples.Log2 Difference in Relative AbundanceLog2 fold difference in relative abundance of bacterial OTUs between two Groups. OTUs included were significant are multiple testing correction and are displayed according to phyla memberships.

Let Us Help:

As you are aware, the amount of data that you will receive from our next generation sequencing services is extensive. This data is inherently multivariate, and many observations are made on each sample that you submit. Dealing with this deluge of information can sometimes be overwhelming. Our biostatistics experts will increase your ability to appropriately and efficiently discern meaningful patterns from your data.

Contextually Based Analysis:

The data we provide is being used in a wide variety of contexts. At Research and Testing, we view biostatistics as an open system that starts with data collection (including aspects of study design) and continues through analysis, interpretation, and presentation. The key to successfully applying this system to your biological questions is an open dialogue between you, the domain scientist, and our team of bioinformaticians and statisticians. Our goal is to help you analyze the data we are providing within the specific biological context within which you collected your samples. That context may be experimental, observational, or clinical. Whatever the case, the specific questions and goals that motivated your sample collection are the basis for our analysis.

Deliverables:

You will be provided with a report that describes the statistical methods used and the results generated from your data. In addition, we can provide separate graphic files of publication ready figures.  Examples of sample figures are provided above.

Talk To Us About Your Study:

If you would like more information, or have any questions, please contact us and discuss your study and the full range of services that we offer today.

Pricing Structure:

All pricing is done on a custom quote basis, and pricing quotes are given after an initial consultation in which study design and goals are discussed. Pricing scales with study complexity and number of samples, and is offered on a per hour basis.

Pricing for statistical consulting typically is a fraction of the cost of data collection (e.g., pyrosequencing). As an illustration, consulting fees for past projects have been between $500 and $1500.

Example Analyses:

Although by no means a comprehensive list, the following is an illustrative subset of typical analysis techniques.

Univariate Methods: Linear, Generalized Linear, and Mixed effects Models (including ANOVA, ANCOVA, ANODEV); Non-parametric and simulation based testing; Diversity analyses (including rarefaction)

Multivariate Methods: Direct and Indirect Gradient Analysis (i.e., Constrained Ordination) – Examples include PCA, PCoA, MDS, NMDS, RDA, dbRDA; Hypothesis testing (including simulation based hypothesis testing); Community characterization using a variety of distance metrics (Bray Curtis, UniFrac, etc.)