Recently, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) (Standardization Administration of China (SAC)) released Announcement No. 17 of 2024 on China National Standards. Among them, GB/T 44322-2024 Forensic Sciences—Basic Requirements for the Quality of Next-Generation Sequencing Reagents, co-drafted by iGeneTech Biotechnology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., was officially approved and released.
This national standard, developed by a consortium including public security authorities and industry leaders, establishes rigorous quality benchmarks for next-generation sequencing reagents used in forensic DNA analysis. By incorporating iGeneTech's expertise in probe design and optimization, the standard ensures reliable performance across critical applications such as criminal investigations and identity verification.
The announcement includes 2 national standards: GB/T 44322-2024 Forensic Sciences—Basic Requirements for Quality of Next-Generation Sequencing Reagents and GB/T 44393-2024 Nomenclature for Sequence-Based STR Alleles. These standards apply to forensic sciences, medical diagnostics, and anthropological research. With the gradual approval and release of these national standards, they will help enhance the overall level of forensic DNA testing and effectively promote the more legitimate, compliant, accurate, and reliable application of next-generation sequencing technology in critical areas such as criminal case detection, paternity testing, individual identification, and identity verification within forensic sciences.
Founded in 2014, iGeneTech is the first domestic company centered around targeted capture solutions. Relying on its three core underlying technology platforms with independent intellectual property rights, namely NGS probe hybridization, multiplex PCR, and high-throughput Oligo Pools synthesis, iGeneTech has independently developed probe and primer design as well as supporting reagent solutions over the past decade. It can provide professional solutions for forensic science applications by using targeted capture, especially multiplex amplicon sequencing technology.
As of now, iGeneTech has collaborated with multiple domestic forensic research institutions, universities, and companies, and has developed over 50 panels in total. This year, iGeneTech also launched the MultipSeq® Forensic STR Research Assay and the supporting next - generation sequencing STR analysis process, which contribute to the application of STR sequencing in forensic science.
The MultipSeq® 226 STR Research Panel carefully selects 226 STR loci for forensic science applications. It is designed using the MultipSeq® multiplex amplicon sequencing technology, featuring a simple and rapid operation process. It can be widely used for information storage in the Chinese DNA database, individual identification, and forensic science.
Next-generation sequencing STR analysis workflow
As of now, iGeneTech has participated in drafting two national standards: GB/T 37872 - 2019 General Rules for Quality Evaluation of Target Gene Region Capture and GB/T 44322 - 2024 Forensic Sciences—Basic Requirements for Quality of Next Generation Sequencing-Based Reagents. As a national high-tech enterprise focusing on targeted capture and an upstream solution provider, iGeneTech will continue to be committed to jointly building influential relevant standards and promoting the high-quality development of the industry.
CN