TAIZHOU, China, July 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 28, 2016, Taizhou Institute of Health Sciences of Fudan University and Singlera Genomics Inc. signed a strategic agreement in Taizhou City High-tech Park.

Fudan's Taizhou Health Science Institute and Singlera Genomics will analyze the samples from a 200,000-person cohort to identify biomarkers for early stage cancer detection. In the Taizhou cohort study, which began in 2007, phenotypic information, health records and over 1.2 million biospecimens have been collected from 200,000 individuals in a 9-year period, during which the local residents experienced a rapid economic take-off and associated changes of lifestyle. It represents the largest regional cohort of (initially) healthy individuals in China. The joint research team will adopt Singlera's proprietary technology to analyze biofluids collected prior to disease onset in order to identify specific biomarkers for early cancer detection.  Combining the Taizhou cohort's unique sample collection, rich phenotypic information and Singlera's expertise on target sequencing, methylation analysis and bioinformatics, the team aims to develop early detection tests with high specificity and sensitivity for esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer and breast cancer. The ultimate goal is to "predict cancer and/or detect it early", and eliminate cancer as a life threatening disease.

Deputy Mayor of Taizhou City, Mr. Peimin Lu; Deputy Director of Taizhou Medical Hi-Tech Industrial Park Administrative Committee, Mr. Jihong Zhou; Vice President of Fudan University, Professor Li Jin, Professor Jiucun Wang of Fudan University; Dr. Xingdong Chen and Mr. Ziyu Yuan, Deputy Directors of Taizhou Institute of Health Sciences; Chairman of Singlera Genomics Inc., Professor Yuan Gao,;  Singlera Genomic's co-founder and scientific advisor: Professor Kun Zhang of University of California, San Diego; Singlera's CEO Mr. Jiangli Zhang, COO Mr. Qiang Liu; as well as media representatives from SeqChina, Translational Medicine Network, and Lilac Garden (www.dxy.cn), attended the signing ceremony.

Dr. Xingdong Chen, Deputy Director of Taizhou Institute of Health Sciences and Mr. Jiangli Zhang, CEO of Singlera Genomics signed the Agreement.

Deputy Mayor of Taizhou City, Mr. Peimin Lu warmly congratulated the partnership at the signing ceremony, and praised the vision Professor Li Jin has on starting the Taizhou Cohort Project nine years ago. He believed that under the leadership of Professor Li Jin, both parties would make persistent efforts to contribute to the development of Taizhou's healthcare industry and also make contributions to improving the health of the people across Taizhou city as well as the whole country.

Taizhou Institute of Health Sciences of Fudan University is a research institute, jointly established by the Taizhou City Government and Fudan University in 2007.

Professor Li Jin, a renowned geneticist and member of Chinese National Academy of Sciences,  welcomed the signing of the agreement and summarized the progress of Taizhou Cohort Project: "Our large cohort study was launched to study the impacts of genetic factors, environmental factors, environment-genes interactions on major chronic diseases that threaten the health of Chinese population (such as malignant tumors, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases), to develop procedures on disease prevention and treatments, and to promote precision medicine.  After nine years since the kickoff of the Taizhou cohort, it quickly became China's single largest regional cohort project; nearly 1.2 million biological samples from 200,000 participants have been collected; 10-million-plus level epidemiological survey databases were established. Singlera Genomics has leading sequencing and bioinformatics expertise, outstanding R&D research teams in the United States and China, patented methylation sequencing technologies, as well as a seasoned management team. The signing of this strategic collaboration agreement will equip us with advanced technologies, and accelerate the development of new approaches for disease prevention and treatments."

Professor Kun Zhang said: "I am very pleased to witness the signing of this strategic collaborative agreement.  It is a great opportunity to participate in the Taizhou Cohort Project. In the course of nine years, Taizhou Research Institute has collected over 1.2 million biological samples, which are very valuable research resources. Singlera will make good use of these samples by utilizing Singlera's cutting-edge technologies to develop cancer screening and early detection tests.

Fudan University

Fudan University (http://www.fudan.edu.cn/en/) was established in 1905 and located in the cosmopolitan city of Shanghai, China, initially named Fudan Public School. The name "Fudan" originated from a famous statement, meaning unremitting effort. It is under the direct jurisdiction of the State Ministry of Education, enjoys national construction priority.  Fudan University comprises 17 full-time schools (including 66 specialties) and 4 departments. They have 68 specialties for Bachelor's Degree Candidates, 209 specialties for Master's Degree Candidates and 157 specialties for Doctoral Degree Candidates. Now, Fudan University has nearly 44,300 students, including full-time students, students in Continuing Education or Network Education, as well as overseas students.

Singlera Genomics Inc.

Singlera Genomics Inc., a fast growing company focusing on non-invasive genetic testing, was co-founded in July 2014 in San Diego, California by Professor Yuan Gao (Johns Hopkins University), Professor Kun Zhang (University of California at San Diego), Mr. Jiangli Zhang (CEO), Mr. Qiang Liu (COO), Dr. Rui Liu (CTO). The company currently has a R&D center at La Jolla, California, and a business and clinical operation site at Shanghai, China. Singlera has proprietary technologies in single cell sequencing, DNA methylation and bioinformatics.

In the past decade, Professor Gao, Professor Zhang and Dr. Liu have made outstanding achievements in their scientific research fields, and have published hundreds of research papers in top level scientific journals, including 20+ in Cell, Nature, Science. In recent years Professor Gao, Professor Zhang and Dr. Liu have started to expanded their efforts to the translational aspects and applied their expertise on the development of genetic tests. Singlera is committed to the development and application of Next Generation Sequencing technologies, developing tests for the detection and diagnosis of genetic diseases and disorders.

Singlera's main products and services include tumor diagnosis and personalized treatment, non-invasive prenatal diagnosis, pre-implantation genetic screening, and other genetic disease diagnosis, as well as customized technology and scientific research services. Singlera is dedicated to the development of precision medicine, striving to help the patients through early, accurate and informative diagnoses.

SOURCE Singlera Genomics