History and Goals
The Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) was founded in Beijing on Sept 9th, 1999 with the mission of supporting the development of science and technology, building strong research teams, and promoting the development of commercial scientific services.
With a goal toward excellence, high efficiency, and accuracy, BGI has successfully completed a large number of projects. These include sequencing 1% of the human genome for the International Human Genome Project, contributing 10% to the International Human HapMap Project, carrying out research to combat SARS, being a key player in the Sino-British Chicken Genome Project, and completely sequencing the rice genome, the silkworm genome, and, most recently, the first Asian diploid genome. Much of this research has been published in the top international academic journals Nature and Science. In conjunction with carrying out these projects, BGI has established its own technical platforms based on large-scale genome sequencing, efficient bioinformatics analyses, and innovative genetic health care initiatives. These distinguished achievements have made a great contribution to the development of genomics in both China and the world, and have established BGI as a world-class research institution. In aiming for and attaining these goals, BGI has become the number one genomics institute in Asia and the third largest genomics institute in the world.
During its development, BGI has created a unique research organization and community that promotes high self-worth, job satisfaction, and innovative development. Insisting on principles of good faith and social responsibility, BGI has made substantial contributions in the fight against SARS and aided in disaster relief for the tsunami in Southeast Asia, all of which greatly enhanced the international reputation of China. After the outbreak of SARS, BGI developed a SARS clinical diagnostic kit within four days, which established BGI’s reputation for being able to efficiently convert basic research findings to clinical applications. In response to such successful endeavors, Mr. Jintao Hu, Chairman of the People’s Republic of China, came to BGI in April of 2003 to carry out a personal inspection of BGI and gave it high praise for its achievements.
In 2007, in accordance with BGI’s goal for developing projects and platforms that are on the cutting edge of research and technologies, the organization’s headquarters relocated to Shenzhen and founded the first citizen-managed, non-profit research institution in China. In October of that same year, BGI successfully completed the First Asian Diploid Genome Project, which was followed, in 2008, by the launch of the 1000 Genomes Project and the Giant Panda Genome Project. On June 19, 2008, with the support and approval of the Shenzhen municipal party committee and government, BGI-Shenzhen was officially recognized as a state agency.
Throughout its short history, BGI has successively founded the R&D Center in Hangzhou, the Center of Forensic Science, the Protein R&D center in Beijing (co-founded by the Beijing government), BGI Tibet, BGI Sequencing, BGI Shenzhen, and others. BGI has created an institutional structure that is characterized by systematization and innovation, institutional integration, technological platform development, and product commercialization. This collaborative system, all of which is powered by the study of genomics, enables BGI to rapidly move from basic research to application.
