GATC Establishes Second Sequencing Facility in Germany to Broaden Reach of Overnight Service

GATC Biotech is establishing a second sequencing laboratory in Germany. The new facility, sited at the Life Science Center Düsseldorf (LSC), is expected to start operation on January 4, 2011. GATC says the expansion means clients in Northern Germany and adjacent countries will be able to benefit from its overnight single-sample sequencing service, NightXpress, which was first launched in 2007.

Germany-based GATC offers DNA sequencing and bioinformatics sequence-evaluation services wordwide for projects ranging from individual DNA samples through to complete genomes. The firm has subsidiaries in the U.K., France, and Sweden, and it operates 15 sequencing instruments including six next-gen platforms. GATC claims to have the largest commercially available sequencing capacity in Europe with a potential output of of ten terabases per year.

In September the firm purchased Pacific Biosciences’ single molecule, real-time (SMRT™) PacBio RS sequencing platform, which is planned for installation during early 2011. The deal makes GATC the first European service provider for Pacific. Also in September GATC established a dedicated human genome analysis unit at its headquarters. The unit aims to analyze some 100,000 human genomes for the pharma and diagnostics industries and academic research within four years.