Bioinformatics
What we do
The QCIF Bioinformatics team is a dedicated group of computational biologists specialising in analysing and interrogating complex high-throughput experiments.
We are experienced at developing and implementing automated workflows and robust statistical methods for processing many samples, as well as targeted investigations designed to test and generate biological hypotheses.
Our expertise spans various aspects of 'omics' data analysis, providing comprehensive support and consulting services. The team has a deep understanding of biology, which we keep at the forefront of our work, whether performing analyses ourselves or guiding researchers through their own analyses. Our specific skills include RNA-seq, WES/WGS variant calling, genome assembly, single cell/spatial omics and microbiome, making us a versatile and knowledgeable partner in bioinformatics research.
We offer bioinformatics training tailored to all levels, from beginners to advanced users, ensuring researchers can interpret their results post-handover effectively. Our team excels in experimental design, ensuring that data aligns with research questions and is supported by sufficient samples and statistical power.
We provide support for grant applications - helping researchers secure the necessary funding to advance their projects - guide researchers through the multitude of tools, pipelines, and software options available for their datasets and facilitate access to both Queensland and national computing infrastructure for analysis.
Our team also provides researchers with access to our statewide shared license for QIAGEN Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA), a powerful bioinformatics tool that enables researchers to interpret complex omics data by mapping it to known biological pathways and networks.
Through this license, researchers get access to IPA’s proprietary Knowledge Base, a repository of expertly curated biological interactions and functional annotations created from peer-reviewed literature. This resource provides high quality, biologically insights that go beyond raw data found in public databases.
Staff and students from participating Queensland universities can register to access QIAGEN Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) via QCIF via our contact us form.
Focus Area
Genomics / Transcriptomics / Proteomics
QCIF’s Bioinformatics team provides expert support in analysing genomic and transcriptomic data, including whole genome, and RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry based proteomics. We assist researchers with experimental design, data processing, differential expression analysis, and functional annotation to uncover insights into gene regulation, variation, and biological pathways.
Single cell / Spatial omics
We offer specialised capabilities in single-cell and spatial omics analysis, helping researchers explore cellular heterogeneity and spatial organisation within tissues. Our team supports data preprocessing, clustering, trajectory inference, and spatial mapping to enable high-resolution biological discovery
Metagenomics
QCIF supports metagenomic studies by providing tools and expertise for microbial community profiling, taxonomic classification, and functional annotation. We assist with both amplicon-based and shotgun sequencing approaches, helping researchers understand microbial diversity and its role in health, environment, and disease.
Multi-omics Integration
Our team helps researchers integrate data across multiple omics layers—such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics—to build comprehensive models of biological systems. We support data harmonisation, statistical modelling, and network analysis to uncover cross-omics relationships and drive systems-level insights.
