In a previous blog post, I demonstrated using VarSeq to directly analyze the whole genomes of 17 supercentenarians. Since then, I have been working with the variant set from these long-lived genomes to prepare a public data track useful for annotation and filtering. Well, we just published the track last week, and I’m excited to share some of the details… Read more »
Up until a few weeks ago, I thought variant classification was basically a solved problem. I mean, how hard can it be? We look at variants all the time and say things like, “Well that one is probably not too detrimental since it’s a 3 base insertion, but this frameshift is worth looking into.” What we fail to recognize is… Read more »
SVS 7.6.7 features new tools for filtering sequencing data based on functional predictions and allele frequencies. To complement these new features, new annotations tracks have been uploaded to our data server and are now available for our customers! Below you will find descriptions of the new tools and the related annotations track(s).
We’re thrilled to announce that VarSeq 3.0.0 is right around the corner, and with it comes one of the most exciting updates yet: a complete reimagining of the Assessment Catalogs system. Whether you’re curating clinically relevant variants, tracking tumor-specific calls, or building rich catalogs of sample information, the new system is designed to be more powerful, more versatile, and easier… Read more »
Today, we announced a strategic partnership with Genomenon to integrate its Mastermind Genomic Intelligence Platform and Cancer Knowledgebase (CKB) into the Golden Helix software suite. This collaboration combines two industry-leading platforms to enhance genomic interpretation and deliver high-confidence, literature-backed insights to clinical laboratories worldwide. Through this integration, Golden Helix customers gain seamless access to Genomenon’s expertly curated germline and somatic… Read more »
At Golden Helix, we get to see firsthand how our software enables groundbreaking research around the world. Our tools are central to real-world discoveries, from cancer studies and prenatal diagnostics to uncovering new genetic links in rare diseases. These publications from August 2025 showcase how VarSeq and VSPipeline are helping researchers push the boundaries of what’s possible—automating workflows, streamlining variant… Read more »
In the dynamic field of pharmacogenomics (PGx), the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system stands out as a critical factor in personalizing drug therapies, particularly in avoiding severe adverse reactions. However, as highlighted in a comprehensive review on the HLA system’s genetics and clinical testing, these genes are notoriously challenging to analyze due to their extreme polymorphism, complicating alignment and variant… Read more »
As a new member of Golden Helix’s Field Application Services team, I’ve recently been diving into the capabilities of VarSeq and our broader software suite – an experience every new VarSeq user goes through. If I could schedule a training call with my former self, there are some key points I’d share to help hit the ground running. Here are… Read more »
Over the past several months, we’ve highlighted the powerful new capabilities introduced with VarSeq Warehouse 3.0. Today, I’d like to focus on a familiar feature that’s been thoughtfully enhanced, assessment catalog record management. This update significantly improves data quality, role-based collaboration, and regulatory compliance. Variant assessment catalogs have always been a core component of the VarSeq platform, allowing users to… Read more »
As next-generation sequencing (NGS) becomes more embedded in clinical diagnostics and research workflows, the ability to confidently interpret and report on genomic findings is more critical than ever. In July 2025, Golden Helix’s software suite continued to play a central role in variant annotation and classification, with publications spanning diverse clinical contexts, from population-wide secondary findings to rare disease diagnostics… Read more »
In the world of genomics, data ownership and portability are fundamental principles that every researcher and clinician should embrace. With the increasing complexity of genomic datasets and the critical importance of long-term data accessibility, having the ability to export your data in multiple formats is not just convenient, it’s essential. This is where the gautil export commands shine, providing researchers… Read more »
New to VarSeq 3 is support for breakend catalogs. Breakends represent the junction points of structural variants, which include complex genomic rearrangements like translocations, inversions, and large deletions that play crucial roles in cancer genomics and rare disease analysis. These catalogs are unique as they must save two genomic positions for each record, representing both sides of the structural variant… Read more »
This month, our team at Golden Helix is proud to highlight a series of standout customer publications demonstrating the real-world impact of next-generation sequencing and variant analysis. Featured articles from June 2025 showcase the power of the VarSeq platform in supporting high-quality research across hereditary and somatic disease. From integrating AI to enhance variant detection in colorectal cancer, to reclassifying… Read more »
Here at Golden Helix, we continue to develop top-quality bioinformatic software to support high-throughput clinical next-gen sequencing pipelines, including long-read whole-genome-sequencing (WGS) workflows. WGS long-read technologies like PacBio HiFi and Oxford Nanopore offer improved variant calling for SNVs, Indels, structural variants, tandem repeats and repeat expansions, and epigenetic modifications. Each of these genetic variations that are detected using long-read WGS… Read more »
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) data analysis often involves multiple steps from variant annotation, filtering, interpretation, visualization, and report generation. Repeating these steps manually for each new project can be error-prone and inefficient. In clinical and regulated environments, we recognize that consistency is critical. That’s why VarSeq offers robust support for workflow templates, enabling users to save, share, and reuse entire analysis… Read more »
Pharmacogenomic (PGx) analysis empowers researchers and clinicians to tailor drug therapies based on a patient’s genetic profile, but not all regions of the genome are easy to interpret. Genes like CYP2D6 and HLA-A are tricky when it comes to rendering diplotype calls. This is due to a number of factors including high polymorphism, structural variations (including copy number variants), and… Read more »
Today, we announced the release of VarSeq 3 and VSWarehouse 3, marking a major milestone in enterprise-scale secondary and tertiary genomic analysis. The release introduces cloud-native deployment options optimized for AWS and Azure, expanded support for hybrid and on-premise support, flexible licensing models, including per-sample packaging tailored to small and mid-sized labs. To support these new deployment and licensing models,… Read more »
ClinVar is a global, publicly accessible database maintained by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) that archives interpretations of human genetic variants and their clinical relevance. ClinVar consists of contributions from clinical labs, expert panels, and research groups, and serves as a community-powered knowledge base that is foundational for clinical genetics. This powerful database is expectedly one of the… Read more »
VarSeq, when used with VSPipeline, automates carrier screening analysis, allowing labs to run them in a parallelized, economical fashion.
NGS Software is Bridging the Gap Between Discovery and Practical Application Researchers, clinicians, and scientists need cutting-edge solutions to better understand the complexities of human genetics. By delivering high-quality analysis tools and advancing the interpretation of genomic data, Golden Helix bridges the gap between discovery and practical application. Our NGS technologies play a critical role in accelerating genetic insights, supporting… Read more »
