Mitsui Knowledge Industry and NTT Docomo Business test distributed GPU for genome analysis

Mitsui Knowledge Industry and NTT Docomo Business have successfully completed a joint demonstration of large-scale genome analysis using a geographically distributed GPU environment. By utilizing the ‘GPU over APN Testbed’—which leverages IOWN All-Photonics Network technology for low-latency, high-capacity communication—the companies distributed workloads across five locations in Japan, ranging from Sapporo to Fukuoka.

The demonstration addressed critical shortages in computational and human resources caused by the rapid increase in genomic data and the rising demand for GPUs driven by generative AI. Using approximately 5TB of genomic data from the International Genome Sample Resource (IGSR), the testbed successfully reduced analysis times by approximately 25% to 29% compared to running the workload at a single location.

The specific use cases included identifying mutations in specific chromosomal regions, aggregating genotypes linked to disease risks, and identifying driver mutations associated with cancer. The companies intend to use these findings to help research institutions and medical fields optimize limited computing resources and improve research productivity.