From Data to Discovery Lunchtime Series: Turning Government Challenges into Digital Solutions with QCIF Digital Research

Join us for a special event exploring how QCIF Digital Research partners with government departments solve complex challenges through specialist expertise, advanced analytics and digital research capabilities. Featuring the award-winning Taxodactyl biosecurity project, this session will explore how collaboration, data-driven approaches and access to specialist skills can help agencies accelerate project delivery and improve decision-making.

The session will begin with an overview of the many ways QCIF Digital Research supports government agencies and practitioners throughout the lifecycle of a project. From experimental design, statistical and bioinformatics analysis, and interpretation of results, our experts work alongside teams to deliver evidence-based outcomes, access to subsidised national high-performance computing infrastructure, and training in data science and analytics.

This will be followed by a presentation from Bradley Pease, Innovation Implementation Officer at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), who will discuss his experience partnering with QCIF Digital Research to deliver Taxodactyl, an award-winning project that is transforming the identification of unknown organisms at Australia's borders and strengthening Australia's biosecurity capabilities.

Developed by QCIF's Bioinformatics and Data & Software teams, Taxodactyl is a modular, reproducible Nextflow workflow for the conservative taxonomy assignment of DNA sequences, designed to deliver high-confidence, auditable results in biosecurity contexts. By replacing manual, time-intensive DNA analysis, Taxodactyl accelerates identification processes and increases confidence in results, helping authorities respond to potential biosecurity threats more quickly and effectively.

The event will conclude with an open discussion on the challenges government departments face when developing trusted, data-driven solutions to complex problems. Participants will explore how access to specialist expertise, cross-institutional collaboration, and fit-for-purpose digital capabilities can help agencies improve efficiency, strengthen analytical rigour, and accelerate the delivery of practical outcomes.

Taxodactyl is part of the DNA to Decisions project, a collaboration between QCIF Digital Research, Australian BioCommons, QUT and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). The project was recognised at the 2026 Queensland iAwards, where the QCIF team received the Not-for-Profit and Community Award, recognising technology solutions that deliver meaningful social impact and create tangible benefits for communities, industries and society.

Who should attend?

Government leaders, policy and program managers, data and analytics professionals, digital and ICT teams seeking practical ways to accelerate projects, strengthen capability and deliver better outcomes.

About QCIF Digital Research

QCIF Digital Research is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to research excellence and catalysing innovation through cutting-edge data and digital infrastructure and enterprise solutions to academia, industry and governments across Australia. 

We support researchers by providing expert guidance and training in a wide range of data and digital capabilities, impacting hundreds of projects and benefiting thousands of end-users.  For more information about QCIF Digital Research, visit our website and explore our training opportunities and current projects. 

Have questions? You can contact us through our form or send us an email at  enquiries@qcif.edu.au. 

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Please note that this event may be recorded and published by QCIF Digital Research.