Karsten Kristiansen, a member of the Danish Academy of Natural Sciences and professor at the University of Copenhagen, gives a speech during the 19th Annual Meeting of the International Conference on Genomics at BGI Group's Global Headquarters in Yantian District. Courtesy of BGI
Over 100 leading scientists, researchers, and industry leaders in genomics from countries including the U.S., the U.K., Denmark, Australia, Singapore, and China gathered in Shenzhen to discuss the latest advancements in global life sciences and foster innovation, academic freedom, and international collaboration.
At the 19th Annual Meeting of the International Conference on Genomics, which concluded at BGI Group's Global Headquarters yesterday, scientists explored a wide range of topics, including biodiversity, metagenomics, chronic diseases, advances in life sciences and bioinformatics, public health, population genetics, precision medicine, gene editing, biomanufacturing, and science education for youth.
At Friday's opening, Lars Bolund, honorary professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and several other distinguished speakers shared insights on how genomics is addressing global challenges like aging, public health, and biodiversity conservation.
Bolund focused on aging, highlighting recent advances in regenerative medicine. He explained how technologies such as massive DNA sequencing, single-cell analysis, and spatio-temporal RNA sequencing have enabled AI-driven evolutionary studies and a deeper understanding of somatic cell development. Bolund emphasized that aging is not strictly a chronological process — it can be influenced by genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors. He also discussed medical interventions like stem cell therapy and tissue and organ transplantation as ways to slow or reverse aspects of the aging process.
Karsten Kristiansen, a member of the Danish Academy of Natural Sciences and professor at the University of Copenhagen, highlighted the untapped potential of oral and gut microbiota for developing next-generation probiotics. His team is conducting a large-scale project to isolate, cultivate, and characterize bacteria from the human oral cavity and intestines. These newly characterized bacteria, he noted, show promise in combating metabolic disorders and are promising candidates for next-generation probiotic therapies.
Zhu Jiankang, a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and professor at the Southern University of Science and Technology, explained how DNA methylation and CRISPR-based tools can play important roles in disease management and aging interventions.
In agriculture, genetically edited crops such as high-oleic soybeans, low-GI rice, and nutrient-rich tomatoes aim to address critical global challenges in health and nutrition while promoting sustainable development. These functional foods offer benefits such as cholesterol reduction, improved sleep, and enhanced nutrition.
Since its inception, the International Conference on Genomics has been a leading platform for scientists, industry leaders, and policymakers to exchange ideas and share knowledge.
Over the past 18 years, the conference has brought together more than 1,500 scientists, including Nobel laureates, and reached a global audience of over 15 million.