SEOUL, South Korea
Institut Pasteur de Montevideo (Uruguay), Genomic Medicine Institute- Seoul National University (GMI-SNU, South Korea) and Macrogen Inc. ( KRX 038290) (South Korea) have announced the Urugenomes Project. As one of the first of its kind in South America, the Urugenomes Project is aimed at discovering the genetic basis of different diseases in Uruguay and laying the vital foundation for future growth of genetics in Uruguay through development of human resources and investment on infrastructures.
Over the next three years, 80 Uruguayan genomes will be sequenced and analyzed in order to uncover the genetic basis for diseases in Uruguay. “Urugenomes Project is very important to us in many different aspects. The science aspect of studying the Uruguayan genome is very exciting, but we are also extremely thrilled about the educational and cultural aspect of this project,” said Dr. Jeong-Sun Seo, Chairman of Macrogen. “We hope that through this collaboration, the Uruguayan scientists will gain valuable insight into genetics and bioinformatics to lay the solid foundation for future Uruguayan genetic research.”
The project will also provide specialized bioinformatics training for Uruguayan scientists. GMI-SNU and Macrogen will provide hands-on training for the scientists in Seoul (South Korea) and Montevideo (Uruguay). “Development of bioinformatics capability is becoming strategically important not only for academic research but also for disease diagnosis and development of new biotech products in Uruguay.” said Dr. Luis Barbeito, the director of Institut Pasteur de Montevideo.
The 80 genomes will be sequenced by Macrogen on the HiSeq X Ten sequencing system. Macrogen was the first commercial sequencing provider to purchase Illumina sequencing platform in January 2014. HiSeq X Ten is the world’s first platform to deliver full coverage human genome for less than $1,000, capable of sequencing more than 18,000 genomes annually.
The results from this project will be used to build a Uruguayan-specific database, providing basis for future personalized medicine in Uruguay. The genetic information will help to understand the susceptibility to genetic disease of the Uruguayan population.
The Korea Funds of the Inter-American Development Bank have committed to fund a portion of the project in order to boost the research capacity of the Institut Pasteur de Montevideo and advance the cultural and scientific relationship between Uruguay and South Korea.
For more information, you may request an interview with Dr. Luis Barbeito (Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, barbeito@pasteur.edu.uy), Dr. Jeong-Sun Seo (Genomic Medicine Institute-Seoul National University, jeongsun@snu.ac.kr / Chairman of Macrogen, jeongsun@macrogen.com , and Dr. Kap-Seok Yang (CTO of Macrogen Inc., ksyang@macrogen.com)
About Institut Pasteur de Montevideo
The Institute, part of the Institut Pasteur International Network is located in Montevideo, Uruguay. It was created in 2006, and since then has become a leading research institution regionally. The Institut Pasteur de Montevideo main objective is the development of excellent science in the domain of biology, with a particular focus on biomedicine. It follows the model established by the Institut Pasteur de Paris, which, being one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the world is at the same time the second academic institution in biotech production. This has been reached through an adequate articulation between a high quality science and its applications.
Find out more at: http://www.pasteur.edu.uy/index.php/en
About Genomic Medicine Institute, Seoul National University
Genomic Medicine Institute, Seoul National University (GMI-SNU) is leading genomic research institute. Devoted to understanding the genomic variation and epigenetic changes, we hope to harness the vast genomic information for advancement of personalized medicine. With over 20 professors and researchers from various fields, we approach genomics from multidisciplinary perspectives. Our notable publications include, “A highly annotated genome sequence of a Korean individual” (Nature, 2009), “Discovery of common Asian copy number variants using integrated high-resolution array CGH and massively parallel DNA sequencing” (Nature Genetics, 2010), and “Extensive genomic and transcriptional diversity identified through massively parallel DNA and RNA sequencing of eighteen Korean individuals” (Nature Genetics, 2011).
Find out more at http://www.gmi.ac.kr/
About Macrogen
Macrogen is a leading integrated genomic research service provider dedicated to providing the highest quality genomics services. We provide wide range of sequencing and bioinformatics services to academic, pharmaceutical, and clinical research communities around the world. With over 16 years of experience in genomics, we are dedicated to improving the quality of life for mankind by enhancing the understanding and availability of human genome information.
Find out more at http://www.macrogen.com/eng/
About the Logo “Urugenomes”
The logo is inspired from the Uruguayan painter Rafael Barradas (Vision of the sky, 1916). (http://urugenomes.org/)
CONTACT
Macrogen Inc.
Yonghwan Kang, +82-2-2113-7113
snatch@macrogen.com
