In April 2024, Dr. Yin Ye, the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of BGI Group, visited a total of six cities in Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, where he engaged in in-depth communications with local partners to advance life sciences and precision medicine, benefiting the people of the Latin American region.

On April 19, Dr. Yin attended the opening ceremony of BGI Genomics’ new clinical laboratory in Uruguay. The inauguration was attended by Omar Paganini, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Elisa Facio, Minister of Industry, Energy, and Mining; Karina Rando, Minister of Public Health, along with other national and departmental dignitaries.

Located next to Carrasco International Airport, this laboratory is the first of its kind in the region, specializing in precision medicine applications. It is poised to become a regional hub, advancing preventive medicine across Latin America, and utilizing advanced technology to facilitate early disease diagnosis. Spanning 1,000 square meters, the facility is dedicated exclusively to the BGI Genomics' operations. It will provide testing services in the fields of reproductive health and cancer prevention and control, supporting the development of public health systems in Latin American countries.

From left to right: Natalia Pereiras, Laboratory Director; Karina Rando, Minister of Public Health; Huang Yazhong, Chinese Ambassador for Uruguay; Omar Paganini, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Yin Ye, CEO and Executive Director of BGI Group; Elisa Facio, Minister of Industry, Energy and Mining; Wang Ruijun, Chairman of Guangdong Overseas Friendship Association; Marcelo Metediera, Mayor of Canelones.

On April 15, Dr. Yin attended the "Guangdong-Brazil Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference" in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There, he shared case studies illustrating BGI Group's efforts in providing healthcare solutions for local communities and detailed the company's history of cooperation with Latin America. Felipe Peixoto, the State Secretary of Energy and Maritime Economy of Rio de Janeiro, also attended the event and delivered a speech.

Dr. Yin Ye introduced BGI Group and its history of cooperation with Latin America at the "Guangdong-Brazil Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference."

On April 22, Dr. Yin visited Mayor University (Universidad Mayor) in Chile and met with Dr. Patricio Manque, the President of the university. He delivered a keynote speech titled “Embracing the BT+IT Era: What Should We Do Next?” to over 300 scholars and students.

"The journey ahead may be long and arduous, but with sustained actions, we will eventually reach our destination and embrace a brighter future," Dr. Yin quoted a Chinese saying to express his hopes and vision for BGI's future endeavors in Latin America. "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

Dr. Yin Ye delivered a keynote speech at Mayor University in Chile, engaging a diverse audience of scholars and students.

On April 25, Dr. Yin visited the Mexico City campus of the Monterrey Institute of Technology (Tecnológico de Monterrey), where he delivered a keynote speech encouraging students to pursue their dreams in life sciences.

Dr. Yin Ye, pictured with students at the Mexico City campus of the Monterrey Institute of Technology.

During his visit, Dr. Yin met with Felicio Ramuth, Vice Governor of São Paulo, Brazil, and Marcelo Metediera, Mayor of Canelones, Uruguay. In addition, he visited the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil, the National Institute of Genomic Medicine in Mexico, and other key partners in Chile and Colombia.

Dr. Yin Ye met with Felicio Ramuth, the Vice Governor of São Paulo, Brazil.

Dr. Yin Ye visited the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil.

Dr. Yin Ye made a visit to the National Institute of Genomic Medicine in Mexico.

Dr. Yin Ye met with Colombian partners.

Dr. Yin Ye met with key partners in Chile.

BGI Group has established a longstanding partnership with various Latin American institutions. In December 2013, BGI and Mayor University announced a collaboration to provide services such as non-invasive prenatal genetic testing, monogenic disorder testing, and tumor genetic testing. 

A significant milestone occurred in 2014 when BGI-Research, along with 13 international scientific research institutes including Mexico's National Laboratory of Genomics for Biodiversity, published a ground-breaking study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). This publication detailed the results of the whole-genome sequencing of the bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), a vegetable significant to Latin America. 

The study titled "Whole-genome sequencing of cultivated and wild peppers provides insights into Capsicum domestication and specialization" was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, BGI demonstrated its commitment to the region by donating COVID-19 testing reagents to countries including Peru and Argentina. Furthermore, in partnership with the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil, BGI helped establish the 'Huo-Yan' Laboratory, enhancing local public health capabilities to combat the pandemic.