nf-core on Open OnDemand: community-curated bioinformatics pipelines for everyone

The standardization, portability, and reproducibility of analysis pipelines in bioinformatics is a well-known challenge. To tackle this issue, a community-driven initiative called nf-core was launched in 2018. It aims to collect a curated set of bioinformatics analysis pipelines built using nextflow. At the time of writing, nf-core encompasses over 100 well-maintained pipelines that are ready to use. At Tufts University, the bioinformatics community is well-established, yet the use of nextflow or nf-core pipeline is limited. Two barriers impede the adoption of nf-core pipelines into research workflows by users. Firstly, the advantages of these tools are not effectively communicated to researchers, leaving many unaware of the benefits they can bring to their bioinformatics research. Secondly, nf-core pipelines are based on nextflow, and many users are not familiar with command-line tools and nextflow syntax. To reduce the barriers to entry for users less experienced with bioinformatics command-line tools, we integrated nf-core pipelines into the Open OnDemand (OOD) platform. The OOD web interface streamlines the execution of nf-core pipelines, allowing users to launch analyses with minimal effort. The availability of these OOD apps also enables faculty members to incorporate them into their classes, which creates a more efficient and productive learning environment. Additionally, to promote the use of nf-core pipelines among users, we have incorporated nextflow and nf-core training sessions into our regular workshop series at Tufts University, aiming to familiarize users with these tools and inspire them to integrate them into their research.