MGI Tech Partners with SAMRC and DSTI to Launch 110K Human Genome Program in South Africa
In a groundbreaking move for African genomic research, MGI Tech Co., Ltd. has announced a significant partnership with the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) to launch the 110K Human Genome Program in South Africa. This initiative is complemented by the unveiling of the continent's first DNBSEQ-T7 sequencing platform at the SAMRC in Cape Town, marking a pivotal moment in the evolution of genomics on the African continent.
The launch event serves not only as a celebration of technological advancement but also as a commitment to advancing precision medicine across South Africa. This new collaboration aims to elevate research capabilities and establish a sustainable genomic research infrastructure, positioning Africa at the forefront of global genomic science. According to Professor Ntobeko Ntusi, CEO of SAMRC, this partnership symbolizes a strategic investment in local capacity development and affordable genomic sequencing. He emphasizes the importance of making genomic technologies accessible on a national scale to allow South Africa to offer population-level genomic services at local cost levels.
The DNBSEQ-T7, operational at the SAMRC’s genomic centre, is heralded as one of the most advanced high-throughput sequencing platforms in Africa. It enables rapid, large-scale sequencing at unprecedented accuracy and speed. This capability supports extensive cohort studies as well as multi-omic investigations, lowering sequencing costs and expanding accessibility continent-wide. The SAMRC has long focused on precision medicine, making this new genomic platform a key driver for evolving medical and scientific inquiry in South Africa and beyond.
Furthermore, the SAMRC genomics facility serves not merely as a sequencing centre but as a hub for innovation and translational research. By empowering African scientists to lead advancements in clinical genetics, population genomics, biodiversity, and infectious disease research, it fosters the development of optimized bioinformatics pipelines tailored to Africa’s genetic diversity. This initiative aims to cultivate sustainable local expertise, enhance data quality, and ultimately support African scientific independence.
Since the rollout of the DNBSEQ-T7, the SAMRC's capabilities have been significantly amplified, facilitating impactful genomic projects that were previously unattainable in Africa. To date, this platform has sequenced an impressive 96 lion genomes, 168 low-coverage human genomes, and nine high-coverage genomes from patients suffering from undiagnosed rare diseases.
At the heart of this partnership lies the 110K Human Genome Program, a national undertaking designed to address the long-standing global gap in genomic representation of African populations. By committing to sequencing 110,000 South African genomes, this initiative will create the country’s first comprehensive national genomic reference database. Glaudina Loots, Director of Health Innovation at DSTI, notes that this partnership marks a significant milestone in advancing South Africa's precision medicine and health innovation agenda. By integrating infrastructure development alongside standardized pricing and capacity-building efforts, the collaborative framework promotes a resilient and inclusive genomic ecosystem.
The program aims to complete a pilot phase that will sequence up to 10,000 human genomes, laying the groundwork for an African reference genome resource. This unparalleled initiative will assist researchers and clinicians in understanding population-specific genetic diversity and will enhance diagnostics, prevention, and treatment strategies for diseases prevalent across the continent. Long-term plans include incorporating cutting-edge technologies such as spatial transcriptomics, single-cell sequencing, proteomics, and long-read sequencing, further solidifying South Africa's position as a global leader in genomic innovation.
Duncan Yu, President of MGI Tech, emphasizes that genomic advancements are a result of partnerships and collaborative efforts. He expresses pride in working with SAMRC and DSTI for the 110K Human Genome Program and in launching the DNBSEQ-T7 as a promise to support African scientists in leveraging genomic potential to address their unique health challenges. This partnership plays a critical role in making high-throughput sequencing accessible in Africa, turning revolutionary initiatives like this into reality, allowing African genomic data to narrate its own story within a robust and inclusive ecosystem promoting precision medicine in the region.
The 110K Human Genome Program directly addresses the historical underrepresentation of African genetic data in global genomics, even while the continent is home to the richest human genetic diversity. Through this collaboration, the SAMRC, DSTI, and MGI Tech are reshaping the landscape of African genomics, turning South Africa into a regional hub for high-quality genomics research conducted locally. As this ambitious initiative unfolds, MGI Tech reaffirms its commitment to supporting South Africa’s broader goals of scientific independence and health equity, bolstering local capacities in genomic data production, analysis, and utilization to improve health outcomes for all South Africans and position Africa as a leader in the new era of precision medicine.
The launch event serves not only as a celebration of technological advancement but also as a commitment to advancing precision medicine across South Africa. This new collaboration aims to elevate research capabilities and establish a sustainable genomic research infrastructure, positioning Africa at the forefront of global genomic science. According to Professor Ntobeko Ntusi, CEO of SAMRC, this partnership symbolizes a strategic investment in local capacity development and affordable genomic sequencing. He emphasizes the importance of making genomic technologies accessible on a national scale to allow South Africa to offer population-level genomic services at local cost levels.
The DNBSEQ-T7, operational at the SAMRC’s genomic centre, is heralded as one of the most advanced high-throughput sequencing platforms in Africa. It enables rapid, large-scale sequencing at unprecedented accuracy and speed. This capability supports extensive cohort studies as well as multi-omic investigations, lowering sequencing costs and expanding accessibility continent-wide. The SAMRC has long focused on precision medicine, making this new genomic platform a key driver for evolving medical and scientific inquiry in South Africa and beyond.
Furthermore, the SAMRC genomics facility serves not merely as a sequencing centre but as a hub for innovation and translational research. By empowering African scientists to lead advancements in clinical genetics, population genomics, biodiversity, and infectious disease research, it fosters the development of optimized bioinformatics pipelines tailored to Africa’s genetic diversity. This initiative aims to cultivate sustainable local expertise, enhance data quality, and ultimately support African scientific independence.
Since the rollout of the DNBSEQ-T7, the SAMRC's capabilities have been significantly amplified, facilitating impactful genomic projects that were previously unattainable in Africa. To date, this platform has sequenced an impressive 96 lion genomes, 168 low-coverage human genomes, and nine high-coverage genomes from patients suffering from undiagnosed rare diseases.
At the heart of this partnership lies the 110K Human Genome Program, a national undertaking designed to address the long-standing global gap in genomic representation of African populations. By committing to sequencing 110,000 South African genomes, this initiative will create the country’s first comprehensive national genomic reference database. Glaudina Loots, Director of Health Innovation at DSTI, notes that this partnership marks a significant milestone in advancing South Africa's precision medicine and health innovation agenda. By integrating infrastructure development alongside standardized pricing and capacity-building efforts, the collaborative framework promotes a resilient and inclusive genomic ecosystem.
The program aims to complete a pilot phase that will sequence up to 10,000 human genomes, laying the groundwork for an African reference genome resource. This unparalleled initiative will assist researchers and clinicians in understanding population-specific genetic diversity and will enhance diagnostics, prevention, and treatment strategies for diseases prevalent across the continent. Long-term plans include incorporating cutting-edge technologies such as spatial transcriptomics, single-cell sequencing, proteomics, and long-read sequencing, further solidifying South Africa's position as a global leader in genomic innovation.
Duncan Yu, President of MGI Tech, emphasizes that genomic advancements are a result of partnerships and collaborative efforts. He expresses pride in working with SAMRC and DSTI for the 110K Human Genome Program and in launching the DNBSEQ-T7 as a promise to support African scientists in leveraging genomic potential to address their unique health challenges. This partnership plays a critical role in making high-throughput sequencing accessible in Africa, turning revolutionary initiatives like this into reality, allowing African genomic data to narrate its own story within a robust and inclusive ecosystem promoting precision medicine in the region.
The 110K Human Genome Program directly addresses the historical underrepresentation of African genetic data in global genomics, even while the continent is home to the richest human genetic diversity. Through this collaboration, the SAMRC, DSTI, and MGI Tech are reshaping the landscape of African genomics, turning South Africa into a regional hub for high-quality genomics research conducted locally. As this ambitious initiative unfolds, MGI Tech reaffirms its commitment to supporting South Africa’s broader goals of scientific independence and health equity, bolstering local capacities in genomic data production, analysis, and utilization to improve health outcomes for all South Africans and position Africa as a leader in the new era of precision medicine.
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