Announcing 2021 DNBSEQ™ MPS Research Grant Winners
Congratulations to five (5) winners!
- Dr. Christian Nefzger, University of Queensland, Australia
- Dr Darren Korbie, University of Queensland, Australia
- A. Professor Michael Hildebrand, University of Melbourne, Australia
- Dr. Hii Kieng Soon, University of Malaya, Malaysia
- Dr. Colm Carraher, Plant and Food Research, New Zealand
Note: The winners above are listed in no particular order. The winners will be contacted individually to discuss the project execution details. We thank all the applicants for your interest and effort in applying for the grant this year. Follow us on Twitter or Linkedin for future grant opportunities.
2021 MGI DNBSEQ™ MPS Research Grant
MGI DNBSEQ™ MPS research grant is designed to contribute to the Asia Pacific (APAC) science community and innovative life science research projects. To award library preparation and sequencing for selected projects (the Project), the Grant includes ATOplex library, CoolMPS sequencing* and Twist Bioscience exome library (provided by Decode Science) on the DNBSEQ platforms* (DNBSEQ-G50, DNBSEQ-G400 and DNBSEQ-T7). The total value of the grant program is $100,000 with each grant valued up to $30,000. The goal of the Grant is to support APAC scientists to develop proof-of-concept programs towards an innovative idea or application, and to promote the utilization of cutting-edge DNBSEQ™ technology in basic science and translational research. The work of library construction and sequencing will be performed at MGI Australia Demonstration Laboratory.
Eligibility
- Applicants must hold primary research positions or postdoctoral positions.
- Applicants may not hold current rewards directly related to the Projects.
- If selected, the DNA samples must be extracted and QC'd by the applicant and must meet the Demo Lab’s sample submission requirements.
Assessment Criteria and Process
Within three (3) weeks after the deadline all applications will be assessed by a committee of MGI product managers, technical specialists, laboratory managers, and researchers to evaluate their eligibility, feasibility, technical capability, research merit, academic influence and commercial value. The shortlisted applicants may be contacted for further clarifications or additional information in due course. Through a meticulous assessment process evaluating these criteria the committee will select up to five successful applicants, with whom we will mutually establish a collaborative research agreement that addresses sample shipping, material transfer, data ownership, and IP issues as appropriate to each Project. The successful winners will be announced on 15th Nov. 2021.
MGI Australia Demonstration Laboratory
Conditions
- By submitting an application, the applicant gives permission to the sponsors to contact the applicant regarding their products and services, whether or not the applicant is chosen as the successful recipient of the grant.
- The grant cannot be combined with other discounts, offers, or promotions.
- The grant may not be transferred or assigned; no substitutions or cash equivalents are allowed.
- Upon award of the grant, the successful applicant agrees to provide the sponsors with permission to release the subject of the grant winner’s application and experiment results as part of a case study/poster/press release. More details will be communicated with grant winner's announcement.
- The successful applicant agrees:
- a) to carry out the Projects diligently and competently and in accordance with generally accepted professional, scientific and ethical principles and standards;
- b) to provide samples within four (4) months after the project commencement date i.e. the signing date of the research agreement;
- c) to comply with the time requirement to complete the Project within one (1) year;
- d) to provide any reports on the Projects as reasonably requested by the sponsors;
- e) that a collaborative research agreement (CRA) will be signed upon mutual consent to initiate the Project, which includes an Intellectual Property (IP) clause that clarifies that the project IP remains solely owned by the Grant Winner.
- Subject to clause 5 and any disclosure in academic publication agreed by the sponsors, the successful applicant agrees to treat as confidential all confidential information received by the successful applicant in the course of carrying out the Projects.
- The sponsors may, without limiting their rights, terminate the grant process and/or the Projects if an applicant breaches these terms and fails to remedy any breach within 30 days of a notice by the sponsors.
DNBSEQ™ Sequencing Technology
MGI's gene-sequencing instruments* utilize the state-of-the-art core technology called DNBSEQ™. DNBs (DNA nanoballs) are pumped with by the fluidics system and loaded onto a Patterned Array chip. Sequencing primer is then added and hybridized to the adaptor region of the DNB. The sequencing reaction starts by pumping sequencing reagents containing fluorescently labeled dNTP probes and DNA polymerase. Images are taken after the fluorescently labeled probes on the DNB are excited with lasers. The images are then converted into a digital signal using MGI's propriety software. This information is then used to determine the DNA sequence of the sample.
All sequencing technologies relating to DNBs are part of DNBSEQTM. It includes DNA single strand circularization and DNB preparation technology, Patterned Arrays, DNB loading, cPAS (combinatorial Probe Anchor Synthesis), Pair-End Sequencing technology on DNBs, fluidics and imaging systems, and base calling algorithms. cPAS technology has been widely used on various sequencing platforms including DNBSEQ-G50*, DNBSEQ-G400*, and DNBSEQ-T7*.
Compared to other existing sequencing platforms, DNBSEQ™ sequencing technology combines the advantages from low amplification error rates from DNBs and high density patterned arrays.
These advantages dramatically improve sequencing accuracy, and have much lower duplication rates in WGS/WES applications. When combined with the PCR-free library construction method, DNBSEQTM also has higher SNP and indel detection accuracy compared to other platforms. In addition, the index hopping rate in DNBSEQ platforms is much lower as compared to that of other platforms.
MGI Australia is locally incorporated in February 2021. The Demo Lab also serves as a Research and Development center to conduct innovative application developments with regional focus and importance. The Demo Lab showcases a suite of MGI’s proprietary technology platforms including a series of ultra-high, high and medium throughput DNBSEQ™ sequencers*, automated laboratory systems, and bioinformatics products, with the goal to sharpen existing technical strengths and grow local capabilities to support the users in accelerating their research and applications.
MGI genetic sequencers*, based on the proprietary sequencing technology DNBSEQ™, feature low amplification error rate, high density patterned arrays, high SNP and indel detection accuracy, and low index hopping. MGI automated laboratory systems simplify the labour-intensive and time-consuming procedures in a sequencing laboratory and enable a highly efficient streamlined workflow.
*Unless otherwise informed, all sequencers and sequencing reagents are not available in Germany, USA, Spain, UK, Hong Kong, Sweden, and Belgium.