News Release

BGI, University of Helsinki and Wuhan University sign a MOU concerning cooperation on genomics

Business Announcement

BGI Shenzhen

March 21, 2012, Copenhagen, Denmark and Shenzhen, China - To facilitate the genomics research and communication between BGI, the world's largest genomics organization, University of Helsinki and Wuhan University, researchers from these organizations have reached a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) setting forth a framework for some subjects of mutual interest in the field of genomics, such as archaeal organisms from hypersaline environments, among others.

According to the MOU, researchers will conduct an initial project on archaeal organisms from hypersaline environments. University of Helsinki will provide BGI with the genomic samples for analysis by next-generation sequencing technologies. Based on the results of the initial project, they will discuss the sequencing and analysis strategies for subsequent 250 strains to realize the ultimate goal: Structural Genomics, Virus Structure based lineages, Evolution and Origin of Life.

"To cooperate more closely, all of us recognize that it is worthwhile to cross-train appropriate staff and exchange technologies and experience to enhance the exchanges and cooperation between BGI and the two universities, University of Helsinki and Wuhan University." said, Dr. Ning Li, Director of BGI Europe. "We are looking forward to establishing further cooperative relationship with these researchers to better accelerate the genomic studies on human health, agriculture, bio-energy as well as other innovative research."

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About University of Helsinki

The University of Helsinki is one of the best multidisciplinary research universities in the world. The high-quality research carried out by the university creates new knowledge for educating diverse specialists in various fields, and for utilisation in social decision-making and the business sector.

The university, with almost 4,000 researchers and teachers, operates on four campuses in Helsinki and at 17 other locations. There are 35,000 students, and a further 30,000 participate in adult education.

Founded in 1640, the University of Helsinki wants to strengthen its position among the world's leading multidisciplinary research universities and to actively promote the well-being of humanity and a fair society.

About Wuhan University

Wuhan University, set up in 1893, lies at the foot of picturesque Luojia Hill by the side of the East Lake, the most charming place of Wuhan, a large city of strategic importance in Central China, and is directly under the administration of the Education Ministry of the People's Republic of China.

The university now has 29 colleges and various branches of learning, including science, engineering, agriculture, medicine, literature, history, philosophy, law, economics, education and management, 85 undergraduate specialties, 189 disciplines and specialties awarding master's degrees, 99 disciplines and specialties awarding doctorates, 11 post-doctoral research programs, and a number of the State's key laboratories, the State's discipline laboratories, the State's engineering technology research centers, and national bases for fostering basic science personnel. It has 5,000-odd teachers, including 3,000-odd professors and associate professors, among who are a number of academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Engineering and the Eurasian Academy of Sciences. Among its 40,000-odd students at the university, there are 600-odd foreign students, and 8,000-odd graduate students studying for their master's degrees or doctorates.

The College of Foreign Students Education (Or: The Foreign Students Education School――fses) of Wuhan University is a special organ in charge of the university's various kinds of foreign students enrolment, management, and the Chinese language specialty teaching and training, as well as one of the whole China's examination centers for HSK examination and the examination for the qualifications of the teachers teaching Chinese language to foreign students. The college, with rich teaching resources and a comparatively higher teaching and scientific research level, has 25 teachers teaching Chinese language to foreigners, including 15 professors and associate professors, 4 members of the World Chinese Language Society for Foreigners, and 23 members of China's Chinese Language Society for Foreigners.

About BGI

BGI was founded in Beijing, China, in 1999 with the mission to become a premier scientific partner for the global research community. The goal of BGI is to make leading-edge genomic science highly accessible, which it achieves through its investment in infrastructure, leveraging the best available technology, economies of scale, and expert bioinformatics resources. BGI, and its affiliates, BGI Americas, headquartered in Cambridge, MA, and BGI Europe, headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, have established partnerships and collaborations with leading academic and government research institutions as well as global biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, supporting a variety of disease, agricultural, environmental, and related applications.

BGI has a proven track record of excellence, delivering results with high efficiency and accuracy for innovative, high-profile research: research that has generated over 170 publications in top-tier journals such as Nature and Science. BGI's many accomplishments include: sequencing one percent of the human genome for the International Human Genome Project, contributing 10 percent to the International Human HapMap Project, carrying out research to combat SARS and German deadly E. coli, playing a key role in the Sino-British Chicken Genome Project, and completing the sequence of the rice genome, the silkworm genome, the first Asian diploid genome, the potato genome, and, more recently, have sequenced the human Gut Metagenome, and a significant proportion of the genomes for the 1000 Genomes Project.

For more information about BGI, please visit www.genomics.cn


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