Oxford Nanopore To Improve Understanding Of Genetics In Singapore’s Multi-Ethnic Groups

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 (Bernama) -- Oxford Nanopore Technologies (Oxford Nanopore) has announced a landmark project with Singapore's National Precision Medicine (NPM) programme, led by Precision Health Research, Singapore (PRECISE).

In a statement, Oxford Nanopore said this project aimed at developing a comprehensive structural variant catalogue representing three major ethnic groups in the country including Chinese, Malay and Indian ethnicities.

These genetic variations have demonstrated significance in helping clinician scientists and researchers in understanding human genetic diversity and diseases.

This initiative underscores Oxford Nanopore’s commitment to advancing genetic research and healthcare outcomes on a global scale, particularly for ethnically diverse populations that are typically underrepresented in genomic databases.

“This collaboration not only enhances our commitment to precision healthcare but also strategically positions Singapore as a pivotal hub for genomics in the Asia Pacific, fostering significant advancements in medical research and healthcare outcomes,” said Oxford Nanopore Chief Executive Officer, Gordon Sanghera.

Oxford Nanopore’s portion of the project will focus on sequencing 10,000 genomes representing Singapore’s diverse population, including Malay, Indian, and Chinese communities participating in the PRECISE-SG100K population cohort.

This project which started in mid-2024 and will run for up to 12 months, will use the company’s fleet of high-output PromethION 48 sequencing devices to deliver detailed, comprehensive genomic data to advance research and support precision healthcare.

Oxford Nanopore has made strategic investments in Singapore, which it has positioned as a commercial hub for the Asia Pacific region where it recently expanded its laboratory facilities in the country to support increased activities in training, knowledge transfer, and the up-skilling of local technical staff.

There are also other partners in this project, including NovogeneAIT, that demonstrate a strong collaborative effort to leverage innovative technology in genomics.

-- BERNAMA