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Illumina Unveils Expansion Plans in India with New Global Capability Center

NextEdge Admin

30 Aug 2024

3 min 47 sec

Illumina Inc., a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, announced plans to establish a Global Capability Center in Bengaluru, India. This move, unveiled at the Illumina India Genomics Summit, marks a significant investment aimed at expanding its technology workforce to better serve a global customer base. As India is poised to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2030, it faces ongoing public health challenges, including tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and rising cancer rates. Additionally, up to 96 million people in India are estimated to have rare diseases. By expanding access to genomics, Illumina seeks to advance healthcare and contribute to tackling the effects of climate change in India.

Gretchen Weightman, Illumina’s senior vice president for the Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa region, emphasized the pivotal role of genomics in public health. From identifying emerging pathogens to transforming disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, genomics is increasingly critical. Weightman noted that Illumina has supported India for over a decade, particularly through next-generation sequencing technologies. Establishing a stronger presence in India aligns with the company’s mission to accelerate these efforts.

Bengaluru will join a global network of Illumina Capability Centers, including locations in Singapore, Cambridge, Eindhoven, Shanghai, Madison, Hayward, and San Diego. As part of its expansion in India, Illumina plans to hire 100 technology professionals in 2024, such as software engineers, IT hardware and network engineers, and system analysts, with 200 more hires expected by the end of 2025. This expansion underscores Illumina’s commitment to tapping into India’s talented workforce, driving global flexibility, and enhancing agility.

Illumina has significantly contributed to India’s genomics landscape through its long-standing partnership with Premas Life Sciences, a trusted channel partner for 17 years. This collaboration has been instrumental in growing India’s genomics capabilities. Additionally, Illumina has supported key initiatives like the Genome India Project and partnered with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation to enhance Covid-19 surveillance. The company has also donated $1 million in sequencing capabilities to Mumbai’s Kasturba Hospital and collaborated with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology in New Delhi for early COVIDSeq work. Furthermore, Illumina has leveraged whole-genome sequencing to detect drug resistance in tuberculosis at P D Hinduja Hospital, furthering its commitment to advancing public health in India.