SAN FRANCISCO, CA, United States, 13 January 2020 — MGI, a leading global manufacturer of DNA sequencing instruments, launched its One Million Genomes Total Solution, a comprehensive software and hardware package designed for million-genome projects. The system aims to standardise operations, address industry challenges and accelerate the “genome for all” era, said Dr Yongwei Zhang, BGI Group Vice President, at the BUTTON Healthcare Cross-Border Partnering Summit during the 38th Annual JP Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco.
With genomics-based precision medicine advancing rapidly, large-scale population genome programs have enabled breakthroughs in clinical applications, including cancer and rare diseases. However, the massive data output presents challenges in matching software and hardware, ensuring data security, and managing projects effectively.
MGI’s mega-genome solution addresses these challenges through its DNBSEQ™ sequencing technology and stLFR long fragment library construction technology. The integrated information management system standardises the entire workflow, from sample processing to report generation. The hardware package includes an automated sample pre-processing system, a fully automated library preparation system, a high-throughput sequencer capable of terabase-level daily output, and a data processing platform capable of handling exabyte-scale data annually.
Fully automated, high-throughput sequencing
MGI’s automated sample processing system features two main components: a whole blood pretreatment system and a fully automated library preparation system. The pretreatment system allows automated sample handling without manual intervention, supporting up to 600,000 samples per year. The library preparation system, the world’s first ultra-high-throughput system, operates 24/7 and supports up to 500,000 samples annually, meeting production-scale sequencing needs.
The DNBSEQ-T7 ultra-high-throughput sequencer provides stable performance and high data quality, capable of sequencing 600,000–800,000 samples per year, serving as the core platform for million-genome projects.
End-to-end information management
The One Million Genomes Total Solution also includes a one-stop data processing platform combining high performance, automation, cost efficiency and security. With exabyte-level capacity, it supports data governance, computing and storage, enabling analysis of 100,000–1 million samples annually. The system integrates laboratory management for end-to-end traceability and problem resolution, while blockchain technology protects data privacy. Storage tiering and optimisation of computing resources ensure efficient handling of genetic data and associated algorithms.
