GenomeQuest Inc. raised more than $3 million in an equity sale, taking its total investment stake to nearly $9 million, according to regulatory filings.

The Westborough, Mass.-based genome data management firm convinced nine investors to pony up $3.1 million beginning Dec. 1. GenomeQuest makes software to help genetic sequencing researchers manage, mine and share data.

The company drummed up $3.94 million in late 2005, when it operated under the Gene-IT brand, according to a filing (PDF) with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As GenomeQuest the company raised another $1.925 million in August, 2007, according to regulatory documents (PDF); its latest round takes the total raised to $8.965 million.

The company calls its GenomeQuest 6.0Beta software a “sequence data management” product, according to its website. Using a Web browser and a personalized dashboard, the software allows researchers to manipulate and share data from gene sequencing projects “and access the world’s largest collection of sequence reference databases,” according to the website.