Golden Helix Releases HelixTree v5.3

Bozeman, MT (April 5, 2007) - Golden Helix, Inc. announced today the release of HelixTree 5.3.

Major enhancements include:

• The PBAT module has been grid-enabled to run on United Devices' Grid MP™
  
  Using traditional single processor computing resources, PBAT analysis with large pedigrees and/or whole-genome scans can take days or even weeks to run. However, using PBAT in a grid computing environment can cut run times to a matter of hours or even minutes by submitting large, complex analysis jobs in parallel to a wide variety of computing platforms. This allows researchers to maximize distribution and throughput while making better use of otherwise idle cycles on existing hardware. This functionality had previously been available to run on a Condor® Pool. Now with v5.3 it can also be run on the more robust United Devices' Grid MP™ platform.

• Release of Illumina BeadStudio Custom Report Plug-in
  
  Golden Helix has developed a custom report plug-in that enables researchers to easily export their Illumina genotype data from BeadStudio into HelixTree's proprietary sparse data storage format (DSF). This file can then be imported into HelixTree which takes a matter of seconds for entire whole-genome data sets. Visit our Illumina Support Page for instructions to download and use the plug-in.
  
  
• HelixTree is now compatible with Affymetrix' Whole-Genome Human SNP Array 5.0
  
  The Whole-Genome Human SNP Array 5.0 is Affymetrix' newest SNP array that features all the "single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the original two-chip Mapping 500K Array Set, as well as 420,000 additional non-polymorphic probes." HelixTree, in accordance with being GeneChip-compatible™, can now directly import and efficiently analyze the .CHP files associated with these arrays.
  
  
• A large number of additional minor, but important, improvements were made throughout HelixTree. A complete list of improvements and bug fixes are included in the release notes (Chapter 1.2) of the HelixTree manual.

About Golden Helix, Inc.

Founded in 1998 in Bozeman, MT, Golden Helix is a leading provider of data analysis software products and services designed to accelerate life science research and increase pharmaceutical R&D productivity. The company's products enable hundreds of researchers at the world's top pharmaceutical, biotech and non-profit research organizations to discover the genes that cause disease, improve target and lead discovery processes, and advance pharmacogenetic initiatives. Its products have been cited in nearly 100 peer reviewed publications that detail ground-breaking research for discovering the genetic and environmental basis of disease and creating safer and more effective medicines.
Golden Helix is committed to Accelerating the Quest for Significance.
For more information, please visit www.goldenhelix.com.