ELIXIR Compute Platform: Powering Europe's Data-Driven Life Science Research

As life sciences generate ever-larger datasets - from genomic sequences to biodiversity data - the infrastructure needed to store, move, and analyse this information is evolving rapidly. At the heart of this transformation is the European Life-Science Infrastructure for Biological Information (ELIXIR) – a distributed intergovernmental organisation built on five core Platforms: Data, Tools, Compute, Interoperability, and Training. This article spotlights the Compute Platform, which underpins data-driven discovery by offering scalable, federated, and secure access to computational resources across Europe. 

Visuals: An image representing Computing (source: https://pixabay.com/), icons (https://www.vecteezy.com/) and the ELIXIR logo (https://elixir-europe.org/)

Gone are the days when researchers downloaded data and ran analyses on local machines. The ELIXIR Compute Platform enables scientists to bring their workflows directly to where the data resides. By federating cloud and high-performance computing (HPC) environments across its national Nodes, ELIXIR allows users to securely access, analyse, and share life science data without compromising on speed, reproducibility, or compliance.

At the core of this platform is the Life Science Authentication and Authorisation Infrastructure (Life Science AAI), which simplifies access across institutions and disciplines. Whether logging in with university credentials, an ORCID iD, or a Google account, researchers can connect to secure environments while remaining compliant with data protection regulations. 

The Platform’s activities are structured around five coordinated work packages, each addressing a key element of ELIXIR’s compute vision. One work package ensures alignment with European initiatives such as the Genomic Data Infrastructure (GDI), European Open Science Cloud (EOSC), and GAIA-X. It also leads outreach to ELIXIR Communities and promotes long-term sustainability planning. Another work package is enhancing access control mechanisms, introducing multi-factor authentication and modern identity management solutions. These improvements are essential for enabling secure, interoperable services across the ELIXIR network. A dedicated work package is developing secure virtual research environments where researchers can analyse sensitive datasets - such as human genomic information - without physically moving the data. These infrastructures support privacy-by-design principles and are piloted in collaboration with GDI and EOSC. The Cloud deployment and service orchestration work package develops a hybrid cloud environment that integrates national infrastructures and commercial providers. Using tools like the ELIXIR Cloud SDK, it enables reproducible workflows via platforms such as Galaxy and Nextflow. The final work package promotes workflow reproducibility using tools like RO-Crate, and develops accounting frameworks and monitoring dashboards to help researchers and service providers track and optimise resource use across the ecosystem.

The Compute Platform collaborates closely with other ELIXIR Platforms, thematic ELIXIR Communities, and international initiatives such as the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH), helping ensure compatibility with global standards and ethical frameworks.

It also engages with large-scale European efforts, including EuroHPC and the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC), to ensure that life scientists benefit from world-class digital infrastructure that enables open and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data practices.

From biodiversity to precision medicine, the ELIXIR Compute Platform is laying the foundation for life science research at scale. By investing in federated computing infrastructure, trusted access frameworks, and user-centric tools, ELIXIR ensures that scientists across Europe are equipped to meet the demands of modern, data-intensive science.

The Platform is led by Luděk Matyska (ELIXIR Czech Republic), Juha Törnroos (ELIXIR Finland), and Harald Wagener (ELIXIR Germany), with coordination supported by Jonathan Tedds at the ELIXIR Hub.

Although Latvia is not yet a full Member State of ELIXIR, its research institutions - particularly HPC providers – can already engage with ELIXIR Platforms through several channels. Latvian organisations may participate in EU-funded collaborative projects such as EOSC or the Genomic Data Infrastructure, where ELIXIR is a key partner. They can also contribute technical expertise to relevant ELIXIR Commissioned Services, attend open workshops, or collaborate informally with existing ELIXIR Nodes. However, full and strategic participation in ELIXIR Platforms – including decision-making roles, service provision, and direct access to Platform coordination - will only become possible once Latvia formally joins ELIXIR as a Member State.