Oxford Nanopore Technologies announces project collaboration with Singapore’s National Precision Medicine programme

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Oxford Nanopore Technologies announced a landmark project with Singapore's National Precision Medicine (NPM) programme, led by Precision Health Research, Singapore (PRECISE), aimed at developing a comprehensive structural variant catalogue representing three major ethnic groups in Singapore 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.

The project will focus on sequencing 10,000 genomes representing Singapore’s diverse population, from the PRECISE-SG100K population cohort. This project will use Oxford Nanopore’s fleet of high-output PromethION 48 sequencing devices to deliver detailed, comprehensive genomic data to advance research and support precision healthcare. The project started mid-2024 and will run up to 12 months.

Oxford Nanopore’s platform offers scalability and flexibility in DNA/RNA sequencing and characterizes both short and ultra-long native DNA/RNA fragments, including detection of methylation, an important biomarker found in DNA, at faster speed and without the need for additional steps. This is crucial for accurately identifying a wide range of genetic variations that are essential for understanding complex diseases and tailoring individualised treatment plans.

Gordon Sanghera, CEO of Oxford Nanopore, said, "We are excited to collaborate with Singapore’s National Precision Medicine (NPM) programme to create one of the most extensive and inclusive reference genome datasets globally. There are also other partners in this project, including NovogeneAIT, that demonstrate a strong collaborative effort to leverage innovative technology in genomics.”