MGI, SAGC partner to advance Australian genomics research

MGI and the South Australian Genomics Centre (SAGC) have announced joint efforts to advance genomics research in Australia by introducing the country’s first commercial ultrahigh-throughput sequencer, DNBSEQ-T7, through MGI’s local distributor, Decode Science.

Located in the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) building in Adelaide, SAGC is a nationally accredited genomics facility that supports research nationally and internationally. Established in July 2020 as a partnership between six leading research institutes in South Australia, featuring a top-of-the-line equipment infrastructure, SAGC provides customers with a wide range of advanced genomics services including whole genome sequencing, exome sequencing, epigenome sequencing, transcriptome sequencing, single-cell sequencing, microbiome sequencing and spatial transcriptomics.

Based on MGI’s proprietary DNBSEQTM technology, the DNBSEQ-T7 is designed to deliver ultrahigh-throughput, high-quality, reliable sequencing data at a fraction of the cost with a quick turnaround time, generating up to 6 TB of genomic data in 24 hours. The ultrahigh-throughput sequencer is equipped with four flow cells, enabling high flexibility to run PE150 and PE100 samples simultaneously or separately to accommodate the needs of different projects. The versatile sequencer can support a wide range of applications in agriculture, multi-omics research, clinical whole genome or exome sequencing, metagenomics of complex microbial communities, biodiversity study and more.

“MGI is committed to driving life science innovation and providing researchers with accessible and affordable tools they need to make new discoveries,” said Dr Bicheng Yang, Director of MGI Australia.

“SAGC is a perfect fit to host the first commercial DNBSEQ-T7 in the country with the great potential to revolutionise genomics research in Australia, and we are excited to be part of this transformative journey.”

“The new ultrahigh-throughput sequencing technology allows for deeper, faster, accurate sequencing, enabling researchers to dramatically boost the number of samples they can analyse, significantly expanding research possibilities,” said Dr Sen Wang, SAGC Centre Manager.

“The arrival of MGI’s DNBSEQ-T7 enables us to take on large-scale genomics tasks such as population-wide studies and emerging technologies like Spatial Transcriptomics at a much lower cost.”

Professor David Lynn, Scientific Director of SAGC added, “The T7 is the perfect addition to maximise the full potential of the centre’s other sequencers, taking overall output to new heights. It’s a much more flexible system that fits perfectly into the full range of other sequencers SAGC offers. This flexibility allows SAGC to match the right tool to any scale of sequencing project, while offering significantly lower costs.”

The sequencer, as designed, is integrated into SAGC’s existing workflow. The data pipeline is powered by ZTRON Lite, a GDPR-compliant, highly automated genomics data appliance dubbed ‘Sequencer Buddy’, to provide a high-performance edge computing and storage solution to execute laboratory management, bioinformatics analysis, data governance and data delivery.

Operating in a close-loop local network, the streamlined pipeline automatically transfers the sequencing data generated from DNBSEQ-T7 onto ZTRON Lite for processing. The primary data can be stored locally on ZTRON Lite, ensuring a secure environment for access control and data privacy, with the option to transfer to a secure cloud service. MGI ZTRON Appliance is certified by European Privacy Seal (EuroPriSe) and compliant with GDPR regulations.