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Building Africa’s

Multi-Omics Future:

The Role of the SAMRC Genomics

Platform in Advancing African-Led

Health Innovation

The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) DNBSEQ-T7 sequencer, allow for rapid, high-resolution
Genomics Platform (GP) was created to give African studies across genomics, transcriptomics (gene activity),
scientists access to advanced sequencing technologies epigenomics (chemical changes to DNA that influence
and infrastructure, allowing them to lead research gene activity), and other molecular layers collectively
relevant to the continent. As a national core facility known as multi-omics. By integrating these approaches,
operating on a not-for-profit model, it enables local scientists can study diseases in ways that are specific
researchers to perform large-scale genomic studies to African populations, which is essential given the
in South Africa rather than sending samples abroad. continent’s genetic diversity and unique disease burdens.
Recent upgrades, including the ultra-high-throughput

30 THE SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL