Genizon Converts to Illumina Genotyping Technology for Disease Association Research
Complete the form below to unlock access to ALL audio articles.
Illumina, Inc. has announced that Genizon BioSciences is adopting Illumina's whole-genome genotyping technology for its disease association research program designed to understand the genetic basis of twenty common diseases.
Using Illumina's Sentrix HumanHap300 BeadChips and Infinium assay, Genizon expects to conduct whole-genome association studies on at least 16,000 case and control samples in 11 common diseases over the next 12-18 months, adding to the three such studies already completed.
To accommodate this initiative, Genizon will build out its existing Illumina system infrastructure with six additional BeadArray Readers, extensive automation, LIMS to integrate data workflows and ensure accurate sample tracking, and new BeadStudio software.
According to John Hooper, Ph.D., Genizon President and CEO, "We've been using Illumina technology since 2004 to support our fine mapping programs that follow genome-wide disease association studies."
"Illumina data quality is, frankly, without peer in the industry, so we were eager to convert our disease association methods to Illumina technology."
"Illumina's Infinium assay and new tagSNP-centric BeadChips deliver the same, if not better data quality than their GoldenGate fine-mapping technologies."
"By adopting a common platform for all genotyping and with our unique access to the Quebec Founder Population, we expect to accelerate our understanding of important diseases and enable faster development times for new, targeted therapeutics."
DNA samples for Genizon's programs are collected in collaboration with over 900 Quebec clinical investigators.
Genizon will use a custom version of Illumina's HumanHap300 BeadChip, tailored to genetic sharing in the Quebec founder population, to query over 350,000 SNP loci per sample.
Case-control samples will represent common diseases that exhibit both high heritability and significant worldwide societal impact. Follow-on studies will map candidate gene regions associated with these diseases.
The resulting information will be used to produce GeneMaps, comprised of multiple interacting genes that define biological pathways unequivocally associated with disease.
GeneMaps will be used to drive the development of innovative therapeutics, diagnostics and pharmacogenomics services.
"We're thrilled to extend our relationship with Genizon," said Jay Flatley, Illumina President and CEO.
"John Hooper and his colleagues are executing on a far-reaching and ambitious vision to use genetic information to treat the cause rather than the symptoms of common disease."
"We're very proud that Genizon is leveraging Illumina data quality and performance for competitive advantage."
