BGI, GE Healthcare team up on stem cell projects

GE Healthcare and BGI, the world’s largest genomics organisation, are working together on advancing the potential global utility of stem cell-derived assays for use in drug discovery and toxicity testing by exploring the underlying genetic variation between ethnically diverse human stem cell lines.

Initially BGI is performing genome sequencing and epigenetic analysis on cardiomyocytes and hepatocytes supplied by GE Healthcare Life Sciences. The aim is to map out the genetic variation across an ethnically diverse range of stem cell lines and to examine the changes that occur during differentiation into specific cell types. GE Healthcare’s IN Cell Analyzer 2000 system will be used to investigate gene function for a library of previously sequenced cell types by overexpressing or blocking the activity of single genes and observing the effect in selected populations of cells.

Dr Amr Abid, General Manager Cell Technologies, GE Healthcare Life Sciences, said, “As the pharmaceutical industry seeks to reduce the cost of drug development and to bring more effective, safer drugs to market, the availability of more biologically relevant and predictive cell models is becoming increasingly important. This is a big challenge and we are delighted to be working with such a prestigious institute as the BGI, with its significant resources and world-class capabilities in genomics and epigenomics.

Yutao Du, Deputy President of BGI, said, “The importance of high-throughput sequencing has been increasing rapidly in the areas of healthcare, agriculture, environment, and others. Genetic variation analysis of functional cells derived from embryonic stem cells may provide a promising cell model resource for drug development and cell therapy. We are grateful for this opportunity to join hands with an outstanding healthcare organisation to push the boundaries of understanding in the field of stem cells. ”