Problem

Apollo is a collaborative, real-time, genome annotation web-based editor. Setting up an instance of Apollo locally on a machine is time intensive, and can be costly to store and process genome data. Researchers in Australia needed a simpler solution to store annotation data associated with genome projects. Additionally, researchers stated they wanted an easier way to discover genome annotation repositories in Australia.

Solution

The Apollo Service was created to address these challenges. It hosts an instance on Apollo on virtual machines, created specifically for research groups and labs. This allows researchers to annotate and store this data in a cloud like manner. Additionally, the inclusion of a Genomes section on the website allows researchers to discover and view annotated genomes in Apollo from other projects and labs. This enables rapid discovery and knowledge sharing across the open data genomic science community in Australia.

Impact

As of 2023, there are around 40 supported Apollo instances on the Apollo Service.
There are currently 16 genomes available to view in Apollo via the Apollo Service website.

Responsibilities

Conduct user interviews with stakeholders to uncover primary requirements for the service
Build out the information architecture of the website
Design & maintain the website in Drupal 8, using Drupal templating, plugins, HTML & CSS.

Australian Apollo Service