ICR ramps up genomics capability with latest sequencing technology
The ICR, in collaboration with The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, has now taken delivery of the latest genome sequencing device, the NovaSeq X Plus. In this blog post, Mark Jones speaks with Shichina Kannambath, Manager of the ICR’s Genomics Facility, about what this technology will mean for our research capabilities.
What is a the NovaSeq X Plus and what does it do?
The NovaSeq is a high-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS) instrument designed for large-scale genomic applications. It can read the complete DNA of more than 100 people in less than two days, providing unprecedented speed and efficiency in genomic research.
How does this help in the field of cancer research?
NGS plays a crucial role in understanding gene expression, transcription, modification and identifying potential therapeutic targets in cancers. This is a vital first step in the mission to fully understand, and eventually defeat, cancer.
The NovaSeq X Plus can sequence more than 120 human genomes with 30x coverage, or process over 1,000 RNA samples, with 50 million reads in one run. It has double the number of the sample lanes to the previous model which means more data at a lower cost.
An analogy is that the ‘libraries’ this new NovaSeq sequences are full of encrypted files, and it can simply unlock these files, granting researchers access to a wealth of new information.
Who will be using this machine?
The NovaSeq X Plus is funded by a grant from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Capital Funding competition to the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at The Royal Marsden and the ICR – this allows the ICR Genomics Facility to offer cost-effective sequencing services to all researchers at the ICR and The Royal Marsden.
With the machine delivering double the capacity, this means we can now offer this service more widely, quickly and cheaper than ever. The ICR Genomics Facility also offers whole genome sequencing services to external customers, including universities and research institutes.
If you would like to work with ICR Genomics please get in touch [email protected]