By Julia Karow
This article was originally published Nov. 2.
Complete Genomics will sequence 100 human genomes for a study of Huntington's disease led by the Institute for Systems Biology, the partners said this week.
The goal of the project, which will include affected individuals, family members, and matched controls, is to identify genetic modifiers of the disease and its progression. ISB will provide the DNA sample sand analyze the data, while Complete Genomics will sequence the genomes and identify variations.
The study is the first for which Complete Genomics will sequence 100 genomes at its recently expanded sequencing facility. Up until now, the company has been conducting smaller-scale pilot studies, involving five to 10 genomes, for more than a dozen customers (see In Sequence 9/15/2009).
"It is when we start to look at genomics research on this scale that our sequencing technology really comes into its own and we have the potential to make truly revolutionary discoveries," said Complete Genomics Chairman, President, and CEO Cliff Reid in a statement.
ISB and Complete Genomics have been collaborating since last year (see In Sequence 10/7/2008), and ISB researchers recently presented data from a pilot project for which the company sequenced four members of a family whose children were afflicted by rare Mendelian diseases (see In Sequence 9/29/2009).
"We were pleased with the quality of the raw sequencing data and variation reports that Complete Genomics generated for our four-genome pilot project earlier this year," ISB President Lee Hood said in a statement.
The company's sequencing technology "has the requisite accuracy, consistency, and low price point to enable us to begin conducting this large-scale genomic study in this important patient population," Hood added.