https://www.scmp.com/rss/522360/feed BGI-Research is a prominent non-profit research institute, headquartered in Shenzhen, China, and a key part of the BGI Group. Dedicated to advancing genomics and life sciences, its primary mission is to utilise genomics for the benefit of mankind. The institute focuses on high-throughput gene sequencing, bioinformatics, and diverse areas including human, agricultural, and marine genomics, alongside leading big data and disease prevention programmes. Noted for its significant contributions to... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Holly Chik Holly Chik People carrying a specific gene mutation could have a significantly higher risk of developing the respiratory condition asthma, according to Chinese scientists who have created a detailed immune cell atlas. The team has mapped how genetic variations influence immune cell function and disease development, creating a tool to help researchers understand how particular gene variations make people more likely to develop certain diseases and potentially guide the development of precise treatments,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3340553/asthma-has-no-cure-some-risk-written-gene-china-team-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3340553/asthma-has-no-cure-some-risk-written-gene-china-team-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 06:00:22 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik Hidden in the frozen highlands of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau – often called the “Third Pole” – lies an unexpected trove of biological innovation: animal poop. Chinese scientists have discovered that the faeces of yaks, Tibetan sheep, antelope and other native herbivores harbour thousands of previously unknown microbial species, some of which could be game changers for biotechnology. They include novel strains that have the potential to degrade cellulose – used for paper, cardboard and clothing –... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3334476/chinas-new-secret-weapon-biotech-race-tibet-animal-poop-stranger-germ?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3334476/chinas-new-secret-weapon-biotech-race-tibet-animal-poop-stranger-germ?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Nov 2025 12:00:09 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng When Nobel laureate James Watson died at 97 in November, obituaries around the world painted a divided portrait: a scientific visionary who co-discovered the double helix of DNA – and a controversial figure long condemned for making racially charged statements about intelligence and genetics. In the West, the American molecular biologist’s legacy was increasingly overshadowed by the fallout from those remarks, culminating in New York’s Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory (CSHL) severing ties with him... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3332771/why-racist-biologist-james-watson-remembered-china-respect?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3332771/why-racist-biologist-james-watson-remembered-china-respect?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 15:00:12 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik Scientists in China and the Netherlands say they have discovered how a single plant cell can regenerate into an entirely new plant by flipping two genetic switches. They said the findings could help scientists develop technologies to quickly regenerate high-yield resilient crops to safeguard global food security and offer cross-species insights into regenerative medicine in humans. Researchers at Shandong Agricultural University and BGI-Research in China collaborated with peers at Radboud... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3328479/chinese-and-dutch-scientists-discover-how-regenerate-single-cell-brand-new-plant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3328479/chinese-and-dutch-scientists-discover-how-regenerate-single-cell-brand-new-plant?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 06:18:59 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik In arid parts of central Australia, temperature plays a big part in determining whether central bearded dragon embryos emerge from their eggs as male or female. While the sex of mammals and birds is determined solely by genetics, the dragons are like turtles and crocodiles in that incubation temperature plays a part in the process. If incubated at 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher, some male embryos will emerge as female. If the temperature is cooler, genetics will determine... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3327700/male-or-female-chinese-scientists-find-gene-determines-central-bearded-dragons-sex?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3327700/male-or-female-chinese-scientists-find-gene-determines-central-bearded-dragons-sex?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Oct 2025 13:00:11 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik Could the secrets of Albert Einstein’s brain – preserved since his death in 1955 – be unlocked by modern Chinese technology? A new technique developed by Chinese scientists has shown potential in analysing old biological samples, including cancer tissues stored for nearly 10 years under less than ideal conditions. While cautious about the challenges posed by ageing preservation methods, the team behind the advanced RNA-mapping technology known as Stereo-seq V2 does not rule out the possibility... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3326104/can-chinas-new-tech-crack-einsteins-brain-scientists-hope-give-it-try?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3326104/can-chinas-new-tech-crack-einsteins-brain-scientists-hope-give-it-try?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 13:00:09 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen DNA sequencers from Chinese firm MGI Tech can rival those from global market leader Illumina in spite of US sanctions, according to Yin Ye, CEO of BGI Group, former parent of the Shenzhen-based biotech company. MGI’s sequencers offer the best “comprehensive value” in terms of time, quality and cost, Yin said in an interview on the sidelines of the BioHK 2025 conference on Thursday. Yin, 46, pointed out that MGI’s latest product, the DNBSEQ-T7+, is “pushing physics and chemistry to the limit”, as... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3325235/pushing-physics-limit-mgis-dna-sequencers-gaining-market-bgi-ceo-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3325235/pushing-physics-limit-mgis-dna-sequencers-gaining-market-bgi-ceo-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 23:00:10 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Shenzhen-based MGI Tech unveiled what it claims to be the world’s fastest gene sequencer, an advance that promises to help accelerate breakthroughs in cancer genomics and rare disease research. The company said at a launch event on Tuesday that the DNBSEQ-T7+ can sequence 144 human genomes a day, or one every 10 minutes. More than twice as fast as its previous T7 model, the machine could process more than 14 terabases (Tb) of genomic data a day, it said. This was an industry-leading figure for... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3324917/chinas-mgi-tech-touts-worlds-fastest-gene-sequencer-10-minutes-read-genome?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3324917/chinas-mgi-tech-touts-worlds-fastest-gene-sequencer-10-minutes-read-genome?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 13:00:14 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng A record high number of private-sector executives and chief scientists have been shortlisted this year to compete for academicianship in China’s top institute for engineering science and technology. Nineteen are included on the newly released candidate list for the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), including Hu Guoping, 48, principal researcher and co-founder of AI specialist iFlyTek; Wu Kai, 57, chief scientist and co-president of battery manufacturer CATL; Lian Yubo, 61, chief scientist of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3322856/chinas-top-engineering-academy-seeks-more-private-sector-blood-innovation-mind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3322856/chinas-top-engineering-academy-seeks-more-private-sector-blood-innovation-mind?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 10:59:45 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik Chinese scientists who successfully restored damaged outer ears in mice said their findings proved the existence of a genetic switch for organ regeneration, which meant it might also be present in other organs. While the scientific journey to achieving organ regeneration in humans remains long and challenging, the study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Science, has offered the researchers hope. Last week, co-corresponding authors Wang Wei and Deng Ziqing published their findings that a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3316912/how-chinese-scientists-cracked-secret-organ-regeneration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3316912/how-chinese-scientists-cracked-secret-organ-regeneration?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 05:00:08 +0000