The third generation of gene sequencer was born

According to Xinhua News Agency, Shenzhen, August 1st (Reporter Zhou Ke) The third-generation gene sequencer independently developed by the Southern University of Science and Technology He Jiankui team was born in Shenzhen. At present, small batch prototype production has been completed. After mass production, everyone is expected to have an individual Exclusive “gene ID card”.

The gene sequencer has been reviewed by the international scientific community and filed with the Shenzhen Food and Drug Administration for high-throughput sequencing and obtaining sample sequence information. The core member of the team, He Jiankui, is an associate professor of the post-80s Department of Biology. He said that the third-generation gene sequencer has made key breakthroughs in the fields of optics and biological preparations. It can directly read the most primitive DNA or RNA molecular sequences, which can not only increase the speed of gene sequencing, but also reduce the cost of clinical gene sequencing. “It is estimated that around 2019, people can test their genetic information and create their own ‘gene ID cards’ for only about $100.”

Yu Jun, former deputy director of the Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that the third-generation gene sequencer developed by He Jiankui’s team has technical advantages such as single-molecule resolution, no GC preference, and simple and fast sample processing. This device not only overcomes the relatively low-throughput shortcomings of single-molecule sequencing, but also provides the possibility of direct RNA sequencing. Its application will cover both scientific research and clinical fields.