Agilent and University of Leuven extend reproductive genetics collaboration

Agilent Technologies is to extend its research collaboration with the Centre for Human Genetics of the University of Leuven and the University Hospital of Leuven in Belgium.

The new two-year reproductive genetics agreement will focus on detecting genetic abnormalities in cell-free DNA and embryo biopsies, with the aim of delivering comprehensive solutions for preimplantation genetic testing.

This could enable labs to use a single sequencing workflow to perform preimplantation genetic diagnoses for single gene disorders and translocation carriers, with a commercial solution ready as early as this year.

Joris Vermeesch, chair of the university's centre for human genetics and a leading expert in the field of human genetics, will coordinate the collaboration.

Herman Verrelst, Agilent's vice-president and general manager of the company's genomics division, said: "This is a unique and excellent example of a government-industry-academia partnership designed to translate innovative research into commercial solutions that address unmet needs in the human reproductive genetics space."

The organisations' earlier collaboration preceded the commercial launch of Agilent's OneSight software platform. In the past few years, interest in cell-free DNA analysis has strongly increased, setting the foundation for the new alliance.

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