NZGL 2014 Impacts and Outcomes report released

NZGL 2014 Impacts and Outcomes report released

New Zealand Genomics Limited (NZGL) has released its 2014 Impacts and Outcomes Report, showing a substantial increase in the number and range of research projects supported within the New Zealand research environment.

The genomics infrastructure service provider was established in 2010 to provide New Zealand scientists with an integrated suite of genomic services involving gene sequencing, bioinformatics and genomics appropriate IT.

NZGL Chief Executive Tony Lough says the performance of NZGL over the past year includes delivery of services to researchers within nearly every University, Crown Research Institution (CRI) and genomics-consuming company around New Zealand.

"Our turnover - at $2.51m - is across 252 service agreements with a client base of about 500 researchers across New Zealand.

This represents a 36% improvement on turnover on the previous 12-month period and is indicative of the strong support, interest and growth in NZGL services."

Dr Lough says NZGL offers a suite of end-to-end services for researchers, ranging from support during experimental design, sequencing and other genomic data generation, through to bioinformatics analysis and computer and software resources designed for genomic data.

"We are providing these services to researchers working in a wide range of fields, from agriculture, horticulture, biosecurity, environmental and native species research, through to the biological sciences and human health. The latter includes providing valuable support to consolidate four regional breast cancer registers in association with the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation and the Ministry of Health. This research will link clinical data and genomic data so a national database can be developed to provide a world-leading platform for the research community," he says.

"This is the most substantial and significant project NZGL has been involved in to date, from both a research and a health outcomes perspective. It lifts cancer research genomics capability to a new level and provides a template for expansion to other cancers, while helping our country’s health system maximise the potential of genomic data to improve our ability in cancer diagnosis, treatment and prevention."

NZGL has also developed human capital through the provision of services to a client base of about 500 researchers from the university sector (75%); CRIs (21%) and private companies, biotechnology companies or health agencies (4%). Additionally New Zealand researchers have produced over 100 publications related to NZGL provision of services.

Dr Lough says NZGL has the capacity to make a major contribution to innovation and economic development but it also requires New Zealand researchers and scientists to support it and make use of its services and resources.

"We have signalled a strategic shift from project-by-project service delivery, to a more relationship-based service and training.

Accordingly, NZGL will develop long-term bulk contracts with clients, including access to a dedicated bioinformatician, which will allow greater flexibility in service delivery and training across New Zealand."

New Zealand Genomics Limited (NZGL) was established as a genomics infrastructure service provider to the New Zealand

research community. NZGL is a co-investment and collaborative infrastructure, supported by the Crown (through the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, MBIE); University of Otago; Massey University and The University of

Auckland. It is funded by co-investment from the Crown ($40.6m) and the three university collaborators ($29.3m).

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