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Craic BlackWatch Introduction |
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Craic Computing's BlackWatch software is designed to identify DNA and protein sequences derived from Hazardous Biological Agents. It is intended to be used by biotechnology service companies such as oligonucleotide and gene synthesis firms and contract DNA sequencing operations. Biotech service companies do not routinely require their customers to divulge information about the nature of the sequences that they are working with. Indeed, most customers would baulk at the idea of disclosing this information to a third party for reasons of intellectual property protection. This creates possible risk for the service company if those sequences are derived from hazardous biological agents. In addition, certain classes of biological agent are subject to strict federal regulation on account of their hazards and the potential for their use in acts of bioterrorism. Craic BlackWatch enables service companies to screen sequences for hits to hazardous agents, while still preserving the confidentiality of the customer's information. It provides a measure of biosafety protection to the company by alerting them to potential hazards. If a customer is engaged in genetic manipulation of biological agents for illegimate purposes, this software can help alert the service company to that potential. Disclosing that sequences are screened in this way can serve as a deterrent to those who would abuse the services provided by the company. |
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How do I use the software ? The software has been designed to be as simple as possible. You upload the sequences into the system and identify the customer with a numeric ID. The system figures out if your sequences are DNA or Protein, how long they are and what parameters should be used in running the database searches and evaluating the results. This 'turn-key' approach to the software design makes is easy to incorporate the screening process into your existing operations without hiring additional staff or substantial training. Each page begins with a banner. You can return directly to the home page by clicking on the text 'Craic BlackWatch'. Each page has a HELP link at the end of the text. Detailed information on how to submit searches and view results are available here:
Submitting a Search
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What sequences are included in the databases ? We have extracted all DNA and Protein sequences from GenBank for the organisms that are viewed as hazardous biological agents and are covered by CDC, USDA or Dept of Commerce regulations. For a list of the organisms and the regulations that apply to them and to access the regulations CLICK HERE There are many other organisms that have serious biosafety implications and it is our intention to expand the databases to include these as we develop the BlackWatch software. New sequences related to the list of select agents are added to GenBank on a regular basis. The custom databases used by BlackWatch will be updated on a regular basis to ensure that they represent as complete a set of data as we can assemble. |
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How do I get more information ?
Please contact Dr. Robert Jones at Craic Computing in Seattle. |