Feinstein Institute for Medical Research

"My research focuses on finding the genetic causes of schizophrenia, a complex disease believed to be caused by a combination of environmental factors and genes of modest effect. To determine these genetic risk factors, my team and I recently conducted a case-control, whole genome association study where we used HelixTree to examine over 500,000 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs).

Whole genome analysis presents many challenges both statistically and technically. I knew from the beginning of this study that our existing methods and tools would not be sufficient to carry out the analysis, so I spent a fair amount of time searching for a more robust solution. My first introduction to Golden Helix and HelixTree came during the study's early stages when generating our initial data. Throughout, I found HelixTree and the support I received from Golden Helix to be indispensable.

HelixTree provided the integrated and comprehensive framework that I needed, from data storage to quality control testing to statistical analysis. Furthermore, its usability and absolute speed helped overcome many of the technical challenges involved with whole genome analysis. I didn't have to buy any special hardware and was able to perform all analyses on a conventional Windows laptop.

Golden Helix staff provided tremendous technical support and computing expertise. They helped me quickly learn the software, provided helpful statistical guidance and rapidly developed novel custom features when requested.

Our study became the first published whole genome association study for a psychiatric illness and uncovered evidence of a new gene that appears to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia. We are thrilled to have worked with the Golden Helix team and plan to work closely with them for future studies."

Todd Lencz, Ph.D.
Associate Director of Research
The Zucker Hillside Hospital

The Wellcome Trust Center for Human Genetics

"We are very impressed with the capabilities and speed of the HelixTree software and additionally with the fact that users' requests for features and any problems are efficiently dealt with by your team."

Elftheria Zeggini, Ph.D.
The Wellcome Trust Center for Human Genetics

University of Iowa

"Our lab has consistently had problems with doing association analysis. We have been using other command based programs, but it seems there are endless formatting and rearranging issues. With Golden Helix's HelixTree and PBAT software and customer support, I was able to do in 3 days what it has taken our lab 2 years to try and do with our own program!

I have been dealing with customer support and sales for biotechnology and software companies for years, and I have not yet met anyone like the customer support representatives at Golden Helix. I was so pleased with their knowledge about the software as well as being extremely knowledgeable about the statistics and the types of data that I was working with. They answered all of my email questions the same day and were even at their desk when I tried to call (which is pretty unheard of for support folks)!

We will certainly tell others about HelixTree and PBAT and the amazing support staff you have working for you!"

Lea Davis
University of Iowa

GlaxoSmithKline

"Beginning in 1997 GlaxoSmithKline began collecting genetic samples from consenting clinical trial subjects. As the clinical trials completed and genotyping results became available it became apparent that our standard statistical approaches were not the most efficient or appropriate for the analysis of these results. Specifically, given that many genetic markers were being analyzed along with a number of clinical parameters, an efficient way of identifying statistical interactions was needed. The early versions of HelixTree software were tremendously valuable to the clinical trial statisticians, allowing them to recognize unexpected interplay between and among genetic markers and other clinical variables.

In addition to providing an easy-to-use technical tool to facilitate analysis, the HelixTree tree diagrams have proven to be a welcome aid in conveying complicated results to non-statistician clinical team members and others. Further, the inclusion of genetic-specific capabilities make HelixTree even more valuable to non-geneticist analysts in our company. I consider the HelixTree software to be an important means by which GlaxoSmithKline will achieve its goal of delivering "the right medicine to the right patient" through pharmacogenetic science.

I heartily support the ongoing work of Golden Helix in the further development of HelixTree software. The ability of Golden Helix to expeditiously convert genetic concepts and ideas in usable features within HelixTree has been impressive. The pharmaceutical industry as a whole will benefit from the further development of this product."

Michael Mosteller, Ph.D.
GlaxoSmithKline
Therapeutic Area Advisor
Clinical Genetics