On Nov. 2, 2022, BGI Genomics UK and Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) hosted the Genomics in Whitechapel Networking Event at QMUL’s Mile End Campus. Speakers from BGI Genomics, QMUL, Oxford University and Chinese hospitals introduced their latest projects and research

Ryan Liu, General Manager of BGI Genomics UK, gave a brief overview of the company's history and UK plans, while Professor Joanne Martin, Vice Principal for Health at QMUL introduced the thriving UK genomic health industry which is experiencing new breakthroughs every year.

Professor Ming Lei, Professor Joannne Martin, Dr. Charles Mein and BGI Genomics UK General Manager Ryan Liu

Dr. Charles Mein, Manager of the London Genome Centre at QMUL, gave the first presentation of the evening on the developments in single-cell RNAseq analysis and spatial transcriptomics, two technologies BGI Genomics is currently working on.

Dr. Charles Mein highlighting the developments in single-cell RNAseq analysis and spatial transcriptomics 

Dr. Iris Meng, a Fetal medicine specialist at Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, introduced her research on Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) and the improvements made in this technology during the last 10 years.

Following that, Dr. Renyi Hua, Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Prenatal Diagnosis Specialist at the International Peace Maternity and Child Hospital of China, introduced her work on the usage of whole exome sequencing (WES) and carrier screening for congenital disabilities.

Both of these Shanghai-based researchers have previously collaborated with BGI Genomics on WES, carrier screening and NIPT-based services in China. BGI Genomics welcomes similar collaboration with doctors in the UK to facilitate their life-saving research.

The speeches were rounded out by Professor Ming Lei, Head of the Cardiac Signalling Group at the University of Oxford who spoke in great detail about his new, unreleased research on how Stereo-seq can provide spatiotemporal transcriptomic cellular maps. 

Professor Ming Lei explaining how Stereo-seq can provide spatiotemporal transcriptomic cellular maps

Stereo-seq offers researchers a novel tool to explore spatial biology with an unprecedented field-of-view and resolution; Xun Xu, Director of BGI Group, is confident that the company's own Stereo-seq technology BGI STOmics, "will have the highest resolution compared to other companies offering similar technologies, and BGI Genomics UK is now ready to collaborate on Stereo-seq based projects."

A shot from the post-event buffet dinner

BGI Genomics UK looks forward to hosting additional networking events in the future and continue bringing genomics scientists, clinicians, and industry leaders together. 

About BGI Genomics

BGI Genomics, headquartered in Shenzhen, China, is the world’s leading integrated solutions provider of precision medicine. In July of 2017, as a subsidiary of BGI Group, BGI Genomics (300676.SZ) was officially listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.