# Genomics cloud and secure research environments

Source: https://onco.cc/technologies/genomics-cloud-platforms/  
OnCo record `genomics-cloud-platforms` (Technology). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Cloud systems where hospitals and researchers store and analyse genomic data securely at petabyte scale.

## Summary

DNAnexus (UK Biobank RAP, Genomics England), Velsera/Seven Bridges (NCI Cancer Genomics Cloud), Terra (Broad/Verily; AnVIL), Lifebit, and the hyperscalers' genomics services host data and workflows under controlled access; trusted research environments (Genomics England, UK Biobank, NIH dbGaP, EGA, GDC) implement 'data visiting' rather than download. Interoperability standards (GA4GH Passports, DRS, WES) enable federated analysis across national resources.

## Fields

- Kind: Technology
- Status: established
- Last checked: 2026-09-08
- Tags: supporting
- Principle: Object storage plus containerised workflow engines (WDL, Nextflow, CWL) in access-controlled cloud tenancies with audit and egress controls.
- Strengths: Scale and reproducibility; Controlled sharing of sensitive data
- Limitations: Cloud cost; Jurisdictional data-residency rules; Vendor lock-in

## Sources

- NCI Cancer Research Data Commons: https://datacommons.cancer.gov/

## Connected records

- collections: [UK Biobank](https://onco.cc/collections/uk-biobank/)
- fronts: [AI & Computation](https://onco.cc/fronts/ai-computation/), [Drug Discovery Platforms](https://onco.cc/fronts/drug-discovery/)
- technologies: [Clinical NGS bioinformatics and variant interpretation](https://onco.cc/technologies/ngs-bioinformatics-software/), [Oncology EHR and real-world data platforms](https://onco.cc/technologies/oncology-real-world-data/), [Whole-exome & whole-genome sequencing](https://onco.cc/technologies/wes-wgs/)
- companies: [DNAnexus](https://onco.cc/companies/dnanexus/), [Velsera (Seven Bridges and Pierian)](https://onco.cc/companies/velsera/)
- institutions: [National Cancer Institute (NIH)](https://onco.cc/institutions/nci/)

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