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Bandung – BRIN Public Relations. To meet the need for an internationally standardized DNA databank, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is developing the Indonesian Nucleotide Archive (INNA) as part of the National Scientific Repository (RIN) program, a repository system designed to store scientific data. Chairman of Research Organization for Electronics and Informatics (OREI) BRIN, Budi Prawara, emphasized that national genetic data management should not merely function as passive storage.

“Internationally standardized biological data infrastructure supported by High Performance Computing (HPC) constitutes a key pillar of Indonesia’s future research sovereignty,” said Budi during the Bioinformatics Colloquium, held in a hybrid format at the ICC Building, Soekarno Science and Technology Area (KST), Cibinong, on Monday (18/5).

The colloquium was organized as part of efforts to refine the blueprint of the Indonesian Nucleotide Archive (INNA) platform toward integration with global databanks, HPC-based analytical automation, and the implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Budi further explained that BRIN is currently developing the INNA platform through the establishment of repository infrastructure, including HPC and storage systems, the formulation of repository governance regulations, and human resource development, including DNA data curators.

“We also hope that collaboration with DDBJ and the National Institute of Genetics (NIG) will help Indonesia achieve global DNA databank standards,” he stated.

During the event, Head of International Affairs at the DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ), Professor at the National Institute of Genetics (NIG), and Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Japan, Prof. Yasukazu Nakamura, delivered a presentation titled “Standard and International Collaboration for DNA Data Bank: DNA Data Bank of Japan Experiences.”

He explained that between 2001 and 2007, DNA sequencing costs remained high and generally followed Moore’s Law, with technological progress relying heavily on improvements in conventional computing speed.

However, from 2007 to around 2020, the cost per raw megabase of DNA sequencing data declined dramatically due to the invention and widespread adoption of next-generation sequencing technologies. This genomic revolution made DNA sequencing substantially faster and more affordable, surpassing even the pace of growth in the computer industry itself.

To respond to these developments, Japan’s DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ) has collaborated in a three-party partnership since 1987 with the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) in the United States and the European Nucleotide Archive – European Bioinformatics Institute (ENA-EBI) under the International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration (INSDC) consortium to ensure daily synchronization of global genomic data under the principle of unrestricted open access.

“Strict metadata standardization, including mandatory information such as sample collection date and geographic origin, is not merely an administrative complement but a vital instrument to ensure scientific validity and protect researchers’ intellectual property rights through official accession numbers,” Prof. Nakamura emphasized.

He further outlined that DDBJ manages large-scale raw sequencing data through the DDBJ Sequence Read Archive (DRA) integrated via the D-Way portal. Sensitive human genotype and phenotype information is safeguarded through controlled-access mechanisms within the Japanese Genotype-phenotype Archive (JGA) to comply with medical ethics and protect donor and patient privacy.

To support large-scale data processing, DDBJ’s computational infrastructure is equipped with analytical tools such as getentry, ARSA, BLAST, and DFAST, which functions as an automated annotation engine to reduce researchers’ manual input workload.

“Supported by massive-scale supercomputers, genomic databases are no longer passive repositories but are actively trained using artificial intelligence models to predict three-dimensional protein structures and instantly diagnose disease-related genetic variations,” he added.

The colloquium concluded with a hands-on workshop involving the INNA team, including Rifki Sadikin, Inna Syafarina, Zahra Noviana, and the HPC team. The activity is expected to contribute significantly to strengthening national research human resources.

Going forward, the success of the INNA platform will depend heavily on Indonesia’s ability to ensure sustainable biological databank governance, generate scientific added value, and promote technology transfer while strengthening the domestic data-driven industrial ecosystem. (fa, kpv/ed: kg, jml)