23 Facts About BGI Group

BGI Group is a Shenzhen-based genomics company with links to the Chinese government and military.

BGI Group was originally formed in 1999 as a genetics research center to participate in the Human Genome Project.

BGI Group has transformed from a research institute that decoded the DNA of pandas and rice plants into a company active in animal cloning, health testing, and contract research.

In 2020, BGI Group's scientists were part of the team that sequenced the genome of SARS-CoV-2 and shared it with researchers around the globe.

Wang Jian, Yu Jun, Yang Huanming and Liu Siqi created BGI Group, originally named Beijing Genomics Institute, in September 1999, in Beijing, China as a non-governmental independent research institute in order to participate in the Human Genome Project as China's representative.

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In 2002, BGI Group sequenced the rice genome, which was a cover story in the journal Science.

In 2003 BGI Group decoded the SARS virus genome and created a kit for detection of the virus.

In 2007 BGI Group's headquarters relocated to Shenzhen as "the first citizen-managed, non-profit research institution in China".

In 2008, BGI Group-Shenzhen was officially recognized as a non-profit organization by the Shenzhen government.

In 2008, BGI Group published the first human genome of an Asian individual.

In 2010 BGI Group Shenzhen was certified as meeting the requirements of ISO9001:2008 standard for the design and provision of high-throughput sequencing services, The same year BGI Group bought 128 Illumina HiSeq 2000 gene-sequencing machines, which was backed by US$1.

In 2010, BGI Group Americas was established with its main office in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, and BGI Group Europe was established in Copenhagen, Denmark.

In 2013 BGI Group reported it had relationships with 17 out of the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies, and advertised that it provided commercial science, health, agricultural, and informatics services to global pharmaceutical companies.

In July 2020, it was reported that BGI Group returned a Paycheck Protection Program loan following media scrutiny.

In 2010, BGI Group has announced it will contribute US$100 million to large-scale sequencing projects of plants and animals.

In 2009 BGI Group-Shenzhen announced the launch of three genome projects that focus on animals living in extreme environments.

Jointly funded project announced on 19 March 2010, BGI announced it would collaborate with Sidney K Pierce of University of South Florida and Charles Delwiche of the University of Maryland at College Park to sequence the genomes of the sea slug, Elysia chlorotica, and its algal food Vaucheria litorea.

BGI Group is a participant in the Earth BioGenome Project which aims to sequence and catalog the genomes of all of Earth's currently described eukaryotic species over a period of ten years.

In January 2020, BGI Group Genomic announced its real-time fluorescent RT-PCR kit that helps in identification of SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.

BGI Group Genomics reported that by April 2021 the RT-PCR kits had been distributed to more than 180 countries and regions.

BGI Group developed biosafety level 2 high-throughput nucleic acid detection laboratories, named Huo-Yan laboratories.

BGI Group Genomics defended the product, blaming differences in thresholds used between labs looking at very low levels of the virus.

In October 2017, MGI Tech, a subsidiary of BGI Group, launched two new sequencers MGISEQ-2000 and MGISEQ-200, while a year later launched the 60 human genomes per day capacity DNBSEQ-T7.