Dr. Veron Ramsuran

South Africa has the highest number of people living with HIV globally, with an estimated 7.8 million individuals affected. Despite the scale of the epidemic, strides have been made in prevention, testing, and treatment. Now, thanks to advanced sequencing technologies from MGI, researchers are diving deeper into the genetics of HIV resilience to uncover the secrets behind natural viral suppression.

Elite Controllers: a rare group offers clues

In collaboration with the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), scientists are exploring the DNA of “elite controllers” (ECs)—a rare group of individuals who can suppress HIV without antiretroviral therapy (ARVs). In South Africa, where HIV prevalence is high, the incidence of ECs appears to be elevated as well, making this an ideal environment for discovery.

“We went from having limited local infrastructure to operating one of Africa’s first high-throughput sequencing labs.”
— Rizwana Mia, SAMRC

Since 2019, SAMRC and UKZN researchers have partnered with MGI to advance the HIV Host Genome Project. Using whole genome sequencing (WGS), the team is investigating African genetic diversity, which remains underrepresented in global genomics research. This work is uncovering novel genes and polymorphisms associated with HIV control, aiming to inform new treatment and vaccine strategies tailored to African populations.

MGI Technology drives progress

MGI’s DNBSEQ™ technology is playing a central role, offering fast, accurate, and cost-effective sequencing. The collaboration has enabled researchers to scale their work, analyse HIV genotypes, and study familial links in pediatric non-progressors and their HIV-positive parents to identify immune system advantages.

“Most HIV studies are based on Caucasian populations. Our work is helping close that gap.”
— Dr. Veron Ramsuran, Principal Investigator

The HIV Host Genome Project has also paved the way for South Africa’s upcoming National 110K Human Genome Project, a massive population genomics study involving 110,000 participants. Data collected will be added to a national database to support disease research, personalized medicine, and better public health programs.

Expanding Horizons: beyond HIV

Beyond HIV, SAMRC and MGI’s collaboration has extended to agrigenomics, sequencing Africa’s first plant species for the African BioGenome Project in 2023. These efforts reflect a growing movement to harness genomics for biodiversity, food security, and environmental health.

MGI also recently launched an HIV-1 genotyping and drug resistance detection package on its DNBSEQ-E25 and DNBSEQ-G99 sequencers, combining deep sequencing, automation, and analysis software into a rapid, end-to-end solution. These tools can process up to 120 samples in under 24 hours, accelerating the fight against drug-resistant HIV strains.

“This research doesn’t just impact HIV. It has far-reaching implications for drug development and disease control across Africa and the world.”
— Prof. Thumbi Ndung’u