Sub-Four-Hour Genome Sequencing Sets New Standard in Burlington
Broad Clinical Labs has completed nearly 900,000 whole human genome sequences, delivering one completed human genome on average every three minutes. Operating out of Burlington, Massachusetts, the facility completed whole genome sequencing and analysis in less than four hours, setting a benchmark for speed in the field.
To broaden availability, Broad Clinical Labs engineered an innovative genome sequencing approach that reduces expenses by 75 percent compared to standard techniques. Building on these technical capacities, the lab has partnered with MyOme and Southern Research Institute in Birmingham, Alabama, to provide free genetic tests to residents in Alabama.
Partnerships Deploy No-Cost Tests for Heart Conditions and Rare Diseases
Broad Clinical Labs partnered with Mass General Brigham and Everygene to provide no-cost genetic testing to people across the U.S. with cardiomyopathy, a disorder that can cause sudden cardiac death. Patients can now access this test.
Backed by NIH support, the Broad Institute’s Rare Genomes Project has partnered with upwards of 1,300 families spanning all 50 U.S. states in order to identify rare genetic disorders. Furthermore, Broad Clinical Labs is working alongside researchers nationwide to analyze the DNA of tens of thousands of pediatric cancer patients and children with birth defects in order to investigate shared biological pathways. David Liu and his team used NIH funding to invent precise gene-editing technologies, including an advancement designed to vastly improve access to genetic therapies for patients with rare diseases.
Artificial Intelligence Models Train on Institute Datasets to Map Disease
Broad Institute scientists are using artificial intelligence to design new antibiotics and other drugs, predict drug toxicity, and pinpoint genes, molecules, and cells driving disease processes. Datasets generated at the Broad Institute were used to train AlphaGenome, an AI model from Google DeepMind that predicts how genetic variants affect gene regulation.
Stanley Center and gnomAD Advance Psychiatric and Genetic Reference Data
Regarding mental health research, investigators at the Broad Institute’s Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research have uncovered crucial genetic drivers linked to bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Meanwhile, the institute’s Cancer Dependency Map assists cancer researchers and drug developers in discovering therapeutic targets for new treatments. gnomAD, a large human genetic variant reference database developed by the Broad Institute with NIH funding, has contributed to over 13 million genetic disease diagnoses since its launch in 2014.
Clinical Trials Evaluate CRISPR Therapeutics and Early Cancer Detection
Broad Institute’s gene-editing technologies—including CRISPR-Cas9, base editing, and prime editing—are being tested in more than 25 clinical trials. These trials aim to treat or cure leukemias, rare genetic diseases, high cholesterol, and other conditions. NIH-funded discoveries from the institute are powering nearly 20 clinical trials from companies testing new treatments for cancer and heart disease.
Researchers also developed a technology, partly supported by NIH funding, that detects trace amounts of cancer DNA from blood tests, helping patients find out their risk of disease recurrence earlier. Additionally, the Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval for a lung cancer drug developed with Broad Institute science for patients who previously had few treatment options. During the COVID-19 outbreak, the Broad Institute ran a massive diagnostic testing facility that handled upwards of 37 million evaluations, cutting costs for federal and state initiatives by nearly $2 billion.
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