Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have revolutionarily reshaped the landscape of ‘-omics’ research areas. With its significantly lower costs and higher throughput, NGS has played increasing roles in genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenome research. Despite such advances, the development of computing infrastructure and data analysis methods for efficiently processing huge datasets is still behind the speed of data production. The plethora of information that emerges from large-scale next-generation sequencing experiments has triggered the development of bioinformatics tools and methods for efficient analysis, interpretation, and visualization of NGS data. Such methods and tools will substantially promote the life-science community to better and efficiently understand the underlying biological principles and mechanisms.

We invite investigators to contribute original research articles as well as review articles that aim at development of bioinformatics method and biological interpretation for next-generation sequencing data. We are interested in articles that develop new bioinformatics approaches, present novel platforms and systems, and describe concise models well explaining the biological context from the NGS data. Articles describing NGS application in relation to genetics, metagenomics, and clinical studies are also welcome.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Recent development on NGS technology and new experiment methodology
• NGS data alignment, assembly, base calling, and quality evaluation based on whole genome and whole exome sequencing
• NGS data management, simulation, and visualization
• Bioinformatics methods and biological interpretation for DNA-seq, RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, and DNase I-seq data
• Disease and genetics associations studies using NGS data
• Methodology and systems supporting clinical sequencing applications and personalized medicine
• Plant, microbiome, and virome applications using NGS technology