Welcome: Tim Porter
EMBL-EBI’s new Head of IT and Technical Services (ITS) Operations will strengthen collaborative systems across EMBL and explore our use of cloud-hosting solutions
IT and Technical Services (ITS) form the backbone of EMBL-EBI, working behind the scenes to support our data provision, research, and administrative activities. Collaborating to ensure this can happen seamlessly, ITS comprises the Operations, Infrastructure, Applications, and Web Development teams.
The ITS Operations team at EMBL-EBI ensures that our infrastructure and IT services run smoothly. From managing essential systems like email to supporting external data transfer, the team supports everything we do.
Tim Porter has joined EMBL-EBI as the new Head of ITS Operations. We had the chance to chat with him about his experience in IT infrastructure and service delivery across different sectors, and how he will lead the team as it continues to address the growing needs of EMBL-EBI’s staff and global users.
What is your professional background?
I have a computer science degree and my career so far can be split into two parts. I have worked extensively in internal IT within the finance sector, primarily in insurance and banking. I have led teams delivering IT infrastructure, services, code development, systems testing – pretty much all aspects of IT.
I’ve also spent a portion of my time in commercial IT, where I worked for companies like Hewlett Packard Enterprise and GlobalLogic. I found that I was looking for new and different challenges in a different sector and this is why I jumped at the opportunity to join EMBL-EBI.
You lead the ITS Operations team. Can you please explain what your team does, in simple terms?
The ITS Operations team manages some of the foundational technical systems that everyone at EMBL-EBI relies on but rarely thinks about – for example, logging into the systems each morning and making sure emails go through. We also manage tools like Job Dispatcher, which allows the bioinformaticians here to run tasks on our compute clusters.
My team also manages systems like the File Replication (FIRE) archive and transfer services, which let our external users access and share the open data EMBL-EBI hosts. We keep all these systems running smoothly, troubleshoot issues, and ensure everything is up-to-date.
In simple terms, we make sure the IT systems work so everyone else can focus on their tasks.
What is unique about supporting IT infrastructure at a large bioinformatics institute like EMBL-EBI?
Coming from a commercial and finance background, the biggest difference for me is the open by design infrastructure. In my previous roles, everything was locked down, and you always knew who’s accessing what and why.
At EMBL-EBI, there are huge volumes of open data being submitted and accessed from all over the world. A bit like a 24/7 public library, we don’t always know who’s going to use the data, when, or what for. That makes capacity and demand planning a slightly different challenge. However, even in financial services, something that might seem minor – like a brand mentioned on a popular consumer finance TV show – can lead to an unexpected and significant demand surge on systems. Having tools and options to deal well with this is an important part of IT provision in 2025.
How do you plan to address cybersecurity challenges?
IT security has changed massively in recent years as we’ve seen increasingly sophisticated attacks in the private and public sectors alike. It’s no longer one team’s responsibility; it has to be integrated into everything an organisation does, and everyone has a role to play.
We use different tools and methods to strengthen our defences and mitigate IT security risks. For example, we can employ tools that scan code as it’s being written to flag security vulnerabilities before it goes live. Regular penetration testing and vulnerability scans can also help identify and address risks. Cybersecurity is an ongoing battle that all organisations are waging at the moment, and there is always more to be done.
What are some of the things that EMBL-EBI is doing to scale up its IT infrastructure?
The options for scalability of IT infrastructure have changed with the introduction of cloud hosting for data storage. In the past, organisations had to try to predict demand and provision resources to cope with the anticipated peaks. Cloud hosting offers more flexibility to scale up or down as and when it’s needed, but the cost can be higher, especially when dealing with vast amounts of data and network traffic as we do here.
There is no doubt that there are opportunities for EMBL-EBI to use more cloud solutions where it makes sense. It’s about finding the right balance between cost, flexibility, and need.
How do you collaborate with other teams across EMBL?
We work closely with the EMBL IT Services to develop joint solutions across EMBL’s six geographic sites for things like email infrastructure and login systems. We also expect to focus on improving collaborative tools like shared calendars and instant messaging this year. EMBL is collaborative by design, and our IT infrastructure and services need to be the foundation that facilitates smooth, seamless teamwork.
What are some of the first things you’re hoping to achieve in your new role?
The team I’ve inherited here is excellent and very independent, so my role is to help them build on their existing success. I’m data-driven so I’ve been asking for lots of information to understand how well our services are performing, who is using them, and where we can make improvements. My priority is to ensure our foundational IT services are solid and then iteratively refine them from there.
Can you tell us about some of your hobbies and interests?
I love skiing in the winter and water skiing in the summer. My family spends a lot of summer weekends in Lincoln for water ski training.
I have two teenage children, which keeps me busy. I’m currently teaching one of them to drive, which has been one of the scariest experiences of my life!
