Inqaba Biotec, in partnership with the University of South Africa (UNISA), is thrilled to announce the acquisition of Africa's first PacBio Revio sequencing platform. This groundbreaking development marks a significant milestone in the continent's genomic research capabilities.
This state-of-the-art (PacBio Revio) equipment is a third generation long read DNA sequencing system being acquired through a collaborative partnership between Inqaba Biotec and UNISA, the capital cost of which is being jointly shared by the two partners. The Revio will be located at Inqaba Biotec's facilities in Pretoria and jointly operated with UNISA. This partnership underscores a mutual commitment to advancing scientific research and providing cost effective access to cutting-edge sequencing technologies.
From June 2024, Inqaba Biotec will offer next generation sequencing (NGS) services to the wider community on both the PacBio Revio and the PacBio Onso system (independently acquired by Inqaba Biotec). Inqaba Biotec has more than 17 years of experience in the NGS space.
Figure 1: PacBio Revio in Pretoria, South Africa, jointly purchased by Inqaba Biotec and UNISA. Photo credit - Inqaba Biotec
The Revio and Onso systems are PacBio's latest and most technologically advanced sequencers to date, both offering unique advantages over the many other NGS sequencers currently available on the market.
The Revio system, with its 25M SMRT cell sees a 3x boost in its per SMRT cell output, as well as a 15x boost in the overall run output; this system runs 4 SMRT cells simultaneously. Coupled with the shorter run times of 24 hours, this means one can sequence in the region of 1300 human sized genomes per year. HiFi data costs have more than halved.
The Onso system on the other hand, is a short-read system allowing one to produce data in the typical paired-end and single-end formats. However, the major and most exciting difference is its exceptional data quality.
Key Highlights:
- State-of-the-Art Technology: The PacBio Revio platform is a third generation long-read DNA sequencing system that enables accurate detection and characterization of DNA methylation patterns, overcoming the limitations of traditional sequencing technologies.
- Collaborative Effort: This procurement is a result of a collaborative partnership between Inqaba Biotec and UNISA, with both institutions sharing the capital costs and operational responsibilities.
- Enhanced Research Capabilities The long-read sequencing technology will provide unparalleled insights into complex biological processes, including gene regulation, development, and disease progression.
- Broad Community Access: The new sequencing services will be available to researchers and scientists across Africa, fostering a collaborative environment for genomic studies and innovation.
"Inqaba Biotec is eager to have the data from our Revio (and Onso) systems in the hands of our African life scientists and we are confident that both systems will drive research and development in the academic and personalized genomics spheres in Africa and globally.", said Dr Oliver Preisig, executive director of Inqaba Biotechnical Industries (Pty) Ltd trading as Inqaba Biotec.
"PacBio is delighted that the Onso and Revio platforms are now available to researchers in Africa. We’ve had a long-standing and successful partnership with Inqaba Biotec and we are excited to see how these new technologies will help drive further understanding of the diversity of African genomes. The African BioGenome Project has bold aims, and we’re proud that the long and accurate, HiFi sequencing data will be foundational for the generation of new reference genomes and transcriptomes for many African species. The Onso system will also allow researchers to perform a wide range of NGS experiments with a new level of accuracy. African researchers now have access to the latest long and short-read sequencing systems, and we can’t wait to see what they discover next.", commented Neil Ward, PacBio's VP and General Manager of EMEA.
“The decision to partner with Inqaba Biotec in the purchase and operation of the PacBio Revio third generation long read DNA sequencing system is a strategic one for UNISA, in line with our niche area in biotechnology. It is critical that such systems are placed in high throughput environments, where they can be fully utilised by skilled application specialists, to ensure the highest data quality and the most cost-efficient operation. This public-private partnership will achieve that aim to the benefit of Inqaba Biotec, UNISA and the wider genomics community.” “The system will ensure we are able to meet the aims of the African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP), and other related genomic initiatives, through the development of the latest generation of de novo reference genome assemblies.” Said Prof. Ntanganedzeni Mapholi, the Deputy Executive Dean at the UNISA College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences & Co-chair of AfricaBP and a project leader.
Also commenting on this development is Prof. Anne Muigai, Deputy Vice Chancellor, National Defence University-Kenya, and Chairperson of the AfricaBP) and Dr ThankGod Echezona Ebenezer, Founder of the AfricaBP (https://africanbiogenome.org/). Here is what they had to say:
"One of the barriers in genomics and bioinformatics in Africa has been a lack of access to the latest technologies and products. We in the African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP) are therefore delighted and excited to learn that Inqaba Biotec and UNISA have co-invested in the very latest Long Read Sequencing platforms available - the PacBio Revio. This means that rapid sequencing is possible right on the continent and will no doubt have a huge impact on enabling AfricaBP to sequence 100,000 genomes in the shortest time possible. Congratulations to Inqaba Biotec and UNISA on this significant and huge development.", said Prof. Anne Muigai, Deputy Vice Chancellor, National Defence University-Kenya, and Chairperson of the AfricaBP.
"Inqaba Biotec and UNISA are strong partners of AfricaBP, including opening their scientific facilities to African scientists and making its equipment accessible in Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa and investing in locally-led genomics science respectively. I am particularly proud and impressed to see this partnership underway, and this is a testament to the role of the AfricaBP in providing the ecosystem for more partnerships in African biodiversity genomics science. The acquisition of the PacBio Revio and Onso by Inqaba Biotec and UNISA further encourages AfricaBP to use such genomic infrastructure, especially to increase yield, obtain high-quality genomic data, and carry out short- and long- read sequencing in the same genomic facility", concluded Dr ThankGod Echezona Ebenezer, Founder and Co-Chair, African BioGenome Project, former Bioinformatician at the University of Cambridge, UK, and an Independent Contractor for the Wellcome Trust, UK.
For Media Enquiries:
Inqaba Biotec
Acclaim Moila - Acclaim.Moila@inqababiotec.co.za
(Application Specialist: Genomics & PacBio)
About Inqaba Biotec:
Inqaba Biotechnical Industries (Pty) Ltd, trading as Inqaba Biotec in sub-Saharan Africa, is a unique South African Genomics company that was established in 2002. Besides their headquarters in Pretoria, South Africa, Inqaba Biotec has offices in Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda. [https://www.inqababiotec.africa]
UNISA
Gugu Masinga – masinkg@unisa.ac.za
(College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences)
About UNISA:
The University of South Africa (UNISA), the only higher education institution to carry the name of the country, is the people's university in every sense of the word. Unisa has for 150 years set the tone on the continent and globally as one of the premier exponents of the tried-and-test comprehensive, open, distance, and e-Learning model.
Our vision "towards the African university shaping futures in the service of humanity" drives us to find answers to Africa's educational and developmental problems. By forming partnerships in Africa and throughout the world, we are able to help the people of Africa achieve their dreams. [https://www.unisa.ac.za/]
AfricaBP Media:
Fatu Badiane Markey, Ph.D.
Chair, Communication and Public Affairs Subcommittee
African BioGenome Project
About AfricaBP:
The African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP) is a coordinated pan-African effort to build capacity (and infrastructure) to generate, analyze and deploy genomics data for the improvement and sustainable use of biodiversity and agriculture across Africa.
Great achievement
Do you run metagenomic test? If yes what is the cost?