Vol.8. 2014

Subscribe / Unsubscribe
www.genomics.cn
Newsletter
August 2014
Issue 41
HEALTH
MEDICAL
Spotlights in Genomics
/
News from BGI
/
Research Highlight
Spotlights in Genomics
■ Flores Bones Show Features of
Down Syndrome, Not A New 'Hobbit'
Human
More
■ How Brain Systems Interact to Carry
Out Cognitive Processes
More
■ Protein ZEB1 Promotes Breast Tumor
Resistance to Radiation Therapy
More
■ Tumor Suppressor Mutations Alone
Don't Explain Deadly Cancer
More
■ Pepper and Halt: Spicy Chemical May
Inhibit Gut Tumors
More
■ Enhancing Biofuel Yields from Biomass
with Novel New Method
More
■ How Amphibians Crossed Continents:
DNA Helps Piece Together
300-Million-Year Journey
More
■ Newly Discovered Juvenile Whale
Shark Aggregation in Red Sea
More
■ Oldest Rove Beetle in the Omaliini
Tribe Found in French Amber
More
■ More Crop per Drop: Reducing Water
Footprint of Cultivated Herbs
More
Manuscript Writing Seminar
For Non-Native English Speakers
Seminar Dates: September 13-14, 2014
News from BGI
BioNano Genomics announced the purchase of an
Irys System by BGI, the world’s largest genomics
organization. BGI selected BioNano’s platform to
enable comprehensive exploration of human
structural variation (SV) and to provide vastly
improved assemblies for various organisms of
interest, including those where no reference
exists. In addition, BioNano and BGI will partner
together to develop new methods for multiplexing
on the Irys System, enabling significantly higher
sample throughput to be performed with fewer
reagents, a capability that will be particularly
useful for large-scale studies.
More
QIAGEN Partners with BGI Tech to Provide Services Based on the Human Gene
Mutation Database (HGMD) in Greater China
QIAGEN N.V. (NASDAQ: QGEN; Frankfurt Prime Standard: QIA) and BGI Tech Solutions Co.,
Ltd. (BGI Tech), a subsidiary of BGI, the world’s largest genomics organization, announced that
they have entered into a distribution and service agreement for the Human Gene Mutation
Database (HGMD®) in Greater China. Under the agreement, BGI Tech will serve the Chinese
market including providing first level support for the database. More
BGI-Diagnosis Obtained the Compliance Certificate of U.S.
FDA 21 CFR Part 11
CFDA Approved Next Generation Sequencing
Diagnostic Products
The Laboratory Information Management System(LIMS) of BGI-Diagnosis obtained
the Compliance Certificate of U.S. FDA 21 CFR Part 11.
China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) announced the approval of
next generation sequencing diagnostic products.
BGI Reports a Novel Gene for SaltTolerance
Found in Wild Soybean
A team of researchers from The Chinese University of Hong Kong,
BGI and other institutes have identified a gene of wild soybean
linked to salt tolerance, with implication for improving this
important crop to grow in saline soil. This study published online in
Nature Communications provides an effective strategy to unveil
novel genomic information for crop improvement. More
Researchers Develop a New Genome Editing Method,
Bringing the Possibility of Patient-specific Gene Therapies Closer to Reality
Researchers from Salk Institute for Biological Studies, BGI, and other institutes for the first time
evaluated the safety and reliability of the existing targeted gene correction technologies, and
successfully developed a new method, TALEN-HDAdV, which could significantly increased
gene-correction efficiency in human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC). This study published
online in Cell Stell Cell provides an important theoretical foundation for stem cell-based gene
therapy. More
BGI Presents a High-quality Gene Catalog of Human Gut Microbiome,
A Key to Understanding Human Health and Diseases
Researchers from BGI, working within the Metagenomics of the Human
Intestinal Tract (MetaHIT) project, and in collaboration with other
institutions around the world, have established the highest quality
integrated gene set for the human gut microbiome to date- a
close-to-complete catalogue of the microbes that reside inside us and
massively outnumber our own cells. While the roughly 20,000 genes in
the human genome have been available for over a decade, the gene
catalog of the microbiome, our much larger “other genome”, has to
date been much more poorly understood and characterized. More
BGI Reports the Evolutionary Adaptations of Tibetans
May Benefited from Extinct Denisovans
An international team, led by researchers from BGI and University of
California, presented their latest significant finding that the altitude
adaptation in Tibet might be caused by the introgression of DNA from
extinct Denisovans or Denisovan-related individuals into humans. This work
published online in Nature sheds new light into understanding human’s
adaptation to diverse environments including temperature extremes, new
pathogens, and high altitude. Other important collaborators of this study
include the scientists from The People’s Hospital of Lhasa, South China
University of Technology, among others. More
Research Highlight
Genomics: From Benchmark to Bedside
DNA sequencing technology is making great impacts on our lives, including healthcare, agriculture
breeding and environment protection. However, more than a decade ago, it was still controversial
about how much of this technology can be applied to real life. It took scientists thirteen years, and more
than three billion dollars, to sequence the first human genome. Now, the output and costs of DNA
sequencing are tremendously outstripping the pace of Moore's law, which enables an entire human
genome can be sequenced in a matter of hours for $1,000. This revolutionary technology provides
opportunities for us to move into a new era dominated by promises of personalized healthcare.
In the era of personalized healthcare, with your own genome information, doctors can determine the
most appropriate treatments leading to the prevention or therapy at the right dose to the right patient
at the right time. Cancers, Diabetes and many genetic diseases can be predicted, prevented, diagnosed
and individualized treatment provided.
Genetic Testing, Stop Cancer Before its Onset
Currently, genetic testing can be used to check if you are at the risk of one or some types of cancers
(such as breast cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, or other hereditary cancers), or to guide cancer
treatments. For example, cervical cancer can be effectively prevented by genetic testing to detect
human papillomavirus (HPV), followed up with vaccine injection or treatment. The incidence of cervical
cancer remains high in less developed regions- about 528,000 women are diagnosed with cervical
cancer every year- mostly due to a lack of screening and treatment services.
Genetic Testing, Preventing Birth Defects
Birth defects may be caused by genetic mutations, chromosomes abnormality, or environmental
factors. Fetal chromosomal aneuploidy disease is one of the most common birth defects. Unfortunately,
not all birth defects can be prevented and no effective method for curing such diseases, but the
chances of having a healthy baby can be increased by genetic testing before or during pregnancy.
Recently, the Chinese Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) approved BGI’s non-invasive prenatal
genetic testing for fetal chromosomal aneuploidy (Trisomy 21, Trisomy 18 and Trisomy 13), which is the
first next-gen sequencing diagnostic product approved by CFDA. It is a big progress for genetic testing
applications in China, as more people will benefit from the technology.
Gut microbiome: A Key to Your Health
More and more studies have been demonstrating that bacteria in the gut are involved in many bodily
processes and impact health and diseases, such as gut microbes have a potential impact on human
type 2 diabetes (T2D), and their rich or poor can also play an important role on your weight. In addition,
they have a tight connection with ulcers, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and even heart disease.
Contact BGI Newsletter Tel: +86 755 25283805
Email: [email protected]
China (Mainland)
BGI-Shenzhen, Beishan Industrial Zone, Yantian District, Shenzhen, 518083, China
Tel: 400-706-6615 +86-755-2527-3620
Email: [email protected]
www.genomics.cn
Asia Pacific（Hong Kong）
BGI Hong Kong Co. Limited, 16th Dai Fu Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Po, Hong Kong
Tel: +852-3610-3510
Email: [email protected]
bgitechsolutions.com
North America (Boston)
BGI Americas Corporation, One Broadway, 14th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
Tel: +1-617-500-2741
Email: [email protected]
www.bgiamericas.com
bgitechsolutions.com
Europe (Copenhagen)
BGI Europe, Copenhagen Bio Science Park, Ole Maaløes Vej 3, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
Tel: (+45) 70260806
Email: [email protected]
bgitechsolutions.com
Japan(Kobe)
BGI Japan, Kobe KIMEC Center BLDG. 8F, 1-5-2 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, KobeCity, Hyogo-pref. 650-0047, JAPAN
Tel: +81-78-599-6108
Email: [email protected]
www.bgisequence.com/jp/
This E-mail was sent from BGI, If you do not wish to receive such communication, please click here to unsubscribe.