Illumina celebrates 25 years of innovation

From genomics pioneer to global leader, the company ushers in the Genome Era of personalized health for all

SAN DIEGO, April 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Illumina Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN), a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, today begins a monthlong celebration of its 25th anniversary.

A quarter-century after its founding in San Diego in April 1998, the company is commemorating its anniversary by celebrating its employees, customers, and entire stakeholder ecosystem, and reflecting on its progress and impact over the last 25 years. With a diverse global workforce of nearly 10,000 in 34 locations worldwide, Illumina continues to deliver on its enduring mission to unlock the power of the genome to improve human health.

"As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, it is inspiring to reflect on the impact genomics—and our employees, customers, and partners—have had on human health," said Francis deSouza, CEO of Illumina. "Through our world-changing innovations, we've helped save patient lives, fight climate change, lift the world out of a pandemic, and so much more. We are incredibly grateful for our global community that is relentless in its pursuit of a world where personalized medicine is accessible to all."

Illumina's focus on innovating next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies and democratizing access to genomics has played a critical role in enabling the global scientific community to advance the field through discoveries that have had profound impact on human health. Supported by an ever-expanding body of published research, NGS applications are now proven, powerful research and clinical health care tools in areas including rare disease, oncology, reproductive health, and infectious disease. As the need for NGS continues to grow, Illumina is focused on broadening access, awareness, and adoption of the technology.

One of Illumina's five founders, David Walt, noted that at the company's inception, before the Human Genome Project was completed, it really wasn't clear how the benefits of sequencing the human genome would scale. Since then, he says, Illumina's work has made a permanent impact on our understanding of science.

"Illumina has transformed genetic analysis through its arrays and then sequencing platforms, thereby democratizing genetic analysis by making it available to the research community and then for clinical use," he said. "We are only at the beginning of the genomics revolution. I'm so proud of what we've accomplished together but I'm more excited to see where it will take us in the next 25 years."

Since its founding, Illumina has earned several awards recognizing the company as a leader in workplace culture and innovation, including being named to TIME's 100 Most Influential Companies, Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies, and Forbes' World's Best Employers lists. The company also celebrated 25 years of innovation in New York's Times Square last week, when a group of Illumina's customers, employees, and leaders gathered with Chief Commercial Officer Susan Tousi to ring the Nasdaq Stock Market Closing Bell.

"We still have so much more to discover. And so many more lives to reach. To enable the discoveries of the next 25 years, we're developing the next leading sequencing innovations," she said. "And, we're making them even more accessible, affordable, and sustainable, to reach as many researchers, clinicians, and patients as possible."

A number of Illumina milestones and achievements are highlighted in the company's recently published feature article "25 greatest impacts in 25 years: A look back at Illumina and the evolution of genomics."

As part of its celebration, Illumina will launch a philanthropic grant program awarding $25,000 to 25 nonprofit organizations located in the communities where the company operates around the world.

Illumina's 25th anniversary month also coincides with National DNA Day on April 25, 2023. This year marks both the 20th anniversary of the completion of the Human Genome Project and the 70th anniversary of the discovery of the DNA double helix.

DeSouza said that while the field has come a long way and the science and technology continue to evolve, the company must do more to ensure these benefits are available to all.

"We've made tremendous progress over the last 25 years, with every discovery bringing us closer to unlocking the power of the genome to improve health—of humans and of the planet," he said. "Billions of people worldwide are counting on us to deliver on the promise of healthier lives, powered by genomics, for all. As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, the Illumina family is inspired, energized, and ready to help create the next 25 years of innovation." 

Illumina is improving human health by unlocking the power of the genome. In 2023 we celebrate 25 years of innovation, which has established us as a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, serving customers in the research, clinical, and applied markets. Our products are used for applications in the life sciences, oncology, reproductive health, agriculture, and other emerging segments. To learn more, visit illumina.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

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SOURCE Illumina, Inc.