Medical researcher CariGenetics is teaming up with two local tech firms to better protect the sensitive genetic material it collects.

Cloud-hosting firm QuoVadis and tech-solutions provider Ingine are developing Bermuda’s first private cloud-based platform for genomic data for CariGenetics. The goal is to develop future medicines.

“It is evidence of Bermuda’s growing role as a science, technology and data-privacy hub,” a project spokesman said. “The new partnership will revolutionise genome-sequencing projects in the Caribbean, providing individuals with security and control over their genetic blueprints.”

CariGenetics founder Carika Weldon said data autonomy and security are essential for genetic research.

“In essence, data autonomy and security are not just technical necessities; they are the cornerstones of ethical, moral and progressive genetic research that respects individual rights and fosters innovation in healthcare,” Dr Weldon said.

She said by ensuring robust privacy protection, CariGenetics fosters a trusted environment where individuals can participate confidently in genetic studies, knowing their sensitive health and ancestry information is shielded from unauthorised access and misuse.

Dr Weldon said: “This approach is not just about safeguarding personal information; it's about empowering individuals with control over their most personal data, their genetic blueprint.”

The partnership facilitates the development of tailored treatments and medications, revolutionising healthcare to be more effective and personal.

Dr Weldon said to realise their vision, they needed trusted partners to build a secure platform that could handle the complexities of a data infrastructure focused on genomic research. It also needed to provide applications and interfaces tailored to the needs of their scientists to enable them to work effectively.

QuoVadis Services and Ingine Limited are building the company’s first cloud-based infrastructure platform, with servers and data hosted in Bermuda, to process large-scale genome-sequencing workloads.

Gavin Dent, chief executive of QuoVadis, said working with genome-sequencing analysis was a first for his firm, too.

“We are focused on bringing a user-friendly environment that enables researchers to access the data sets they need and apply the tools they want, securely and at scale,” Mr Dent said.

The use of high-speed storage devices, performance servers and networks will allow researchers to run computationally intensive tasks at pace without compromising on performance or security, all while the data remains stored within Bermuda.

“We are not just building a secure network; we are securing the future of CariGenetics’s visionary research,” Fernando De Deus, Ingine Services Limited CEO, said. “This collaboration marks a step ahead in the convergence of high-tech innovation and genomic exploration and we’re proud to be a part of what makes this happen in Bermuda.”​