Enhanced CUGBF
Built on the foundation of the Clemson University Genomics & Bioinformatics Facility, the Enhanced CUGBF integrates advanced technologies and is elevated by the Institute for Human Genetics to power precision genomics and transformative discovery.
Comprehensive Genomic Research Support
IHG and CUGBF work together to provide end-to-end support for genomic studies, combining advanced technologies with expert guidance from experimental design to data analysis.
Expanded Core Capabilities
CUGBF’s foundational genomics services are augmented by IHG’s dedicated research cores, which add depth in areas such as bioinformatics, single-cell analysis, and functional genomics.
Collaborative Training and Education
IHG and CUGBF jointly offer hands-on training and workshops, fostering a campus-wide learning environment where students and researchers gain practical experience in genomic and bioinformatic methods.
Our United Mission
Supported by the Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) in Human Genetics, the Clemson University Institute for Human Genetics (IHG) and the Clemson University Genomics and Bioinformatics Facility (CUGBF) work together to advance cutting-edge research in genomic science and human genetics. Through state-of-the-art technologies, expert bioinformatics support, and robust training opportunities, CUGBF empowers investigators and trainees at all levels to engage directly in genomics and bioinformatics research. IHG builds on this foundation by fostering a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment that integrates computational, comparative, and experimental approaches to uncover genetic and environmental risk factors for human disease. Together, CUGBF and IHG are committed to advancing biomedical discovery, supporting education, and serving the broader scientific community in South Carolina and beyond.
Explore Our Facilities
Facilities
The Clemson University Genomics and Bioinformatics Facility (CUGBF) on main campus is located in Jordan Hall. The 1,492 sq. ft. facility includes a 964 sq. ft. molecular laboratory and a 528 sq. ft. office. The molecular laboratory has a small room with a BSL2 biosafety hood and an Illumina NextSeq 2000 sequencer. A second BSL2 biosafety cabinet is in the main molecular laboratory, which also has a fume hood, two Opentrons OT-2 robots, a 10X Genomics Chromium X microfluidics controller, Invitrogen Qubit 4 and Qubit Flex fluorometers, an Agilent 4200 TapeStation, a Bio-Rad CFX Connect RT-PCR system, and a Sage Science BluePippin. The molecular laboratory also has standard and refrigerated microfuges, a benchtop centrifuge for 15 ml and 50 ml conical tubes, platform shakers (both at room temperature and 4°C), 37ºC incubators, -20ºC freezers, water baths/heat blocks, multiple thermocyclers, DNA electrophoresis equipment, pipettors, and microwave ovens.
Offices
Dr. Parkinson has a 184 sq. ft. office in Long Hall (Room 338). Drs. Noorai and Ortiz each have a private office adjacent to the Jordan Hall large office and Dr. Canton has office space in the Jordan Hall molecular laboratory.
Computers
Numerous computers (Linux, Mac and PC) are available for staff members to utilize. All computers are networked and connected to the internet. Dr. Parkinson has a high-end desktop computer. Dr. Noorai has an M2 MacBook Pro with 64GB RAM, Dr. Ortiz has a Linux Desktop with 8 cores and 128GB of RAM and Dr. Canton has an M2 Mac Studio with 32GB. The major computational infrastructure consists of an Indigo storage service (125 TB), a high-memory compute node with 56 cores, 1.0 TB RAM, and a high-memory compute node with 192 cores, 1.5 TB RAM. The team has access to a shared copier/color laser printer. The university provides a variety of software free to faculty and students, including Microsoft Office 365, Adobe Creative Cloud, and MATLAB.
Facilities
The Genomics and Bioinformatics and Statistics Laboratories are located in Self Regional Hall, a new 17,000 sq. ft. building located on the Greenwood Genetic Partnership Campus (60 miles from the main Clemson Campus). The Genomics Laboratory consists of a molecular laboratory (Room 126, 707 sq. ft.), and an adjacent 100 sq. ft. enclosed office for Ms. Williams. The molecular laboratories are fully equipped for genomics research, including DNA and RNA isolation, NGS library preparation, and short- and long-read genome sequencing. The genomics laboratories house a PacBio Revio and Oxford Nanopore Technologies MinIon and PromethION P2 instruments for long read nucleotide sequencing, and a 10X Genomics Chromium iX microfluidics controller for single cell transcriptomic and epigenetic analyses. An Illumina NovaSeq X+ (shared with the Greenwood Genetic Center) is housed in the Diagnostic Laboratory of the Greenwood Genetic Center, adjacent to Self Regional Hall. The genomics laboratory also contains state-of-the-art equipment necessary for DNA and RNA quality control and quantification, including an Opentrons Flex robot for high-throughput liquid handling and library preparation. See the Equipment list for a complete list of major equipment. The Bioinformatics and Statistics Laboratory is located in Rooms 150-153, a 942 sq. ft. suite with three ~130 sq. ft. offices and open collaboration space with six workstations; and Room 107, a separate 153 sq. ft. cooled room housing our high-performance computing cluster.
Offices
Dr. Trudy Mackay has a ~200 sq. ft. office and small conference room in Room 110. Dr. Vijay Shankar has a 132 sq. ft office (Room 152) and Ms. Williams has a 100 sq. ft. office in Room 127. Dr. Poole and Ms. Adonay have workstations with high-end computers in Room 150 (557 sq. ft.), the Bioinformatics Suite.
Computers
The computational infrastructure includes a high performance computing cluster (see Equipment for full description) consisting of 14 compute nodes, each consisting of at least 40 cores (up to 48) and 192GB (up to 1TB) of RAM; 10 Big Memory nodes, each consisting of at least 40 cores (up to 128) and 1.54TB (up to 4TB) of RAM; 6 Interactive nodes, each consisting of at least 28 cores (up to 36) and 128GB (up to 256GB) of RAM; and 4 GPU nodes, consisting of 1 NVIDIA DGX with 8 A100 80GB GPUs, 2 R760XAs with 1 NVIDIA H100NVL 188GB GPUs each and 1 R760 with 2 NVIDIA L40S 48 GB GPUs. The data storage capabilities are provided through 3 DELL EMC PowerVault 40/5084 Storage Arrays. High speed (I/O) storage capabilities are provided through 3 dedicated Scratch nodes for a combined total of 214TB of Solid-State Storage. Dr. Vijay Shankar has an M1 MacBook Air with 8GB RAM and Ms. Williams has a high-end desktop computer. The facility shares two Ricoh HP color laser printers. All computers have access to a suite of university-provided software at no cost, including Microsoft Office 2016, Adobe Creative Cloud, and MATLAB.
Clemson University Genomics and Bioinformatics Facility
Explore CUGBF
In addition to offering a full-service genomics lab and bioinformatics team, we pride ourselves in offering training to students, post-docs and faculty to work alongside our staff members to learn genomic and bioinformatic techniques. Outside of the lab, we offer training and informational workshops to Clemson’s diverse scientific community.
Stronger Together: How IHG Enhances the Clemson Genomics & Bioinformatics Facility
Explore the IHG Unique Assets
As part of Clemson’s Enhanced CUGBF facility, the CHG COBRE research cores in genomics and bioinformatics work in close coordination with the CUGBF to offer a powerful, complementary set of services. The partnership between the IHG and CUGBF allows us to provide researchers with expanded access to expertise, infrastructure, and support. Rather than avoiding overlap, we view areas of shared capability as a strength — allowing us to increase capacity, provide backup support, and better serve a growing community of investigators.
Building on this partnership, the IHG contributes additional capabilities to broaden the Enhanced CUGBF’s offerings — such as access to advanced high-throughput sequencing platforms, including the Chromium iX, NovaSeq X Plus, Nanopore PromethION 2, and PacBio Revio. We offer in-house high-performance computing for on-demand storage, processing, and complete workflow management, along with computational optimization tailored to specific project needs. Our team also has the infrastructure and expertise to build high-performance computing environments that can be configured to meet privacy and security standards. Additional offerings include long-read sequencing and analysis, nuclei isolation and fixation workflows, and portable pipelines that clients can continue to use beyond the scope of a project. We also host and maintain community research resources such as the Clemson University Precision Medicine Initiative platform (CUPMI) and the Drosophila Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP3). The CHG supports population-scale genomic research and maintains active collaborations with the Greenwood Genetic Center and Self Regional Healthcare, enabling applied and translational research opportunities. We offer hands-on training in genomics and bioinformatics to build client expertise and promote scientific independence. Together with the CUGBF, we provide a broad portfolio of services, varied staff expertise, flexible vendor solutions, and pre-project consultations to ensure every research question is approached efficiently and effectively.
Join Us in Advancing Research
We invite you to become a part of our mission to enhance health and well-being through groundbreaking research. Whether you are interested in collaborating on innovative projects, supporting our initiatives, or seeking further information, your engagement is crucial to our success. Together, we can make a significant impact on the scientific community and beyond. Reach out to us today to explore how you can contribute to our efforts and benefit from our state-of-the-art facilities and expert teams.