Advanced genomics research centre inaugurated

NKC centre can sequence 5,000 COVID genomes and 500 human genomes

Next generation sequencing can bring about a revolution in biological sciences and unprecedented progress to society as genomics is the sunrise sector of the 21st century just like Information Technology in the 90s took the country to great heights, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday. Mr. Singh was speaking after virtually opening the city-based ‘Nucleome Informatics’, South Asia’s largest and most advanced genomics facility - NKC Centre for Genomics Research, which will carry out the latest third-generation sequencing and play a critical role in fighting the pandemic by sequencing 5,000 COVID genomes and 500 human genomes. Established in the memory of the late six-time MP from Khandwa, Nand Kumar Singh Chauhan, the NKC centre will also start providing in-house ‘DrSeq suite of predictive genomics products’ to improve the understanding and uptake of personalised or precision medicine. The laboratory will have the world’s largest long-and-short-read sequencing facilities. Another such facility will come up in Indore soon.