ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, DATA & ANALYTICS
BESPOKE DATA VISUALISATIONS
CUSTOM SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
CLOUD & OPERATIONS
EMBEDDED & ENGINEERING
IOT, CLOUD, DELIVERY & ENABLEMENT
Automating Sequencing Workflows in Oncology R&D
Case study | Holisticon Connect
We supported a global pharmaceutical company in evolving its internal bioinformatics platform for sequencing data processing. The project involved ongoing development, refactoring and feature delivery for a legacy-to-modern transition, enabling researchers to work more efficiently with genetic data in oncology research.
About the Client
A global biopharmaceutical leader with a strong focus on oncology research and innovation. The company’s internal SeqAuto team is responsible for managing platforms that process genetic sequencing data, playing a crucial role in drug discovery pipelines.
Modernising a legacy bioinformatics platform without disruption
The client needed to maintain and extend its internal sequencing automation platform, SeqAuto, which supports bioinformatics workflows in oncology R&D. Its primary purpose is to process sequencing data and integrate it with systems used by scientists across different stages of research.
The goal was twofold: to keep the existing system operational while also evolving it into a more modular, scalable architecture (SeqAuto v3). However, working within a legacy setup, with niche technologies and a fast-paced R&D environment, brought unique delivery and communication challenges.
Our Role
As a technology partner, our team provided ongoing engineering support across backend, frontend and data infrastructure domains. We worked closely with in-house bioinformaticians and platform owners to deliver sustainable improvements without disrupting day-to-day scientific work.
Key contributions included:
Extending backend functionality
We used Django and FastAPI to implement new logic and APIs, supporting evolving platform use cases while ensuring stability and performance.
Developing interactive frontend features
We built dynamic forms and configuration tools using React and RJSF, complemented by Playwright tests to maintain reliability.
Delivering usage dashboards
To increase visibility and inform decision-making, we created Power BI dashboards tracking automation levels and platform adoption.
Collaborating on data pipelines
Working with internal teams, we contributed to pipeline development and gradually replaced a legacy DSL with Nextflow for greater maintainability.
Integrating AWS services
We aligned the platform with existing cloud infrastructure standards by integrating AWS Batch, RDS and S3.
Operating in agile delivery cycles
Our team adapted to rapidly changing priorities through close collaboration with internal stakeholders and cross-functional research teams.
Key Achievements
Refactored critical components to support the transition to SeqAuto v3 without compromising platform stability
Enabled faster feedback loops through real-time automation dashboards
Reduced onboarding time by simplifying pipeline development with Nextflow
Strengthened cross-team collaboration across data science, engineering and infrastructure
Impact
Our contributions supported a smoother evolution of the SeqAuto platform, allowing internal teams to continue delivering research outcomes while building towards a more robust and scalable system. The new architecture opened the door to standardised workflows, better maintainability and improved cross-team transparency.
Core Technologies
Backend: Python (Django, FastAPI), PostgreSQL, REST API
Frontend: TypeScript, React, RJSF, Playwright
Workflows & Data Processing: Nextflow, AWS Batch
Cloud & DevOps: AWS RDS, AWS S3, GitHub Actions
Visualisation: Power BI
PASSION AND EXCUTTION
About Holisticon Connect
At Holisticon Connect, our core values of Passion and Execution drive us towards a Promising Future. We are a hands-on tech company that places people at the centre of everything we do. Specialising in Custom Software Development, Cloud and Operations, Bespoke Data Visualisations, Engineering & Embedded services, we build trust through our promise to deliver and a no-drama approach. We are committed to delivering reliable and effective solutions, ensuring our clients can count on us to meet their needs with integrity and excellence.
Working on a Similar Project?
Contact us!