On January 31, 2025, Wang Jian, Co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of BGI Group, was invited to deliver a keynote speech at the Prince Mahidol Award Conference (PMAC) in Bangkok, Thailand. His speech, titled “Omics for All,” focused on the democratization of genomic technologies to ensure they are accessible to everyone.

Wang Jian, Co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of BGI Group, delivered a keynote speech at the Prince Mahidol Award Conference (PMAC) in Bangkok, Thailand. (Curtesy of PMAC.)

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn delivered the opening speech, praising the conference for its significant contributions to global medicine and public health. She emphasized the importance of international collaboration in addressing global health challenges. The event was also attended by Thailand’s Permanent Secretary for Public Health, Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong, along with leaders from various Thai medical institutions. Representatives from BGI Group included Li Ning, Vice President of BGI Group; Cao Sujie, Southeast Asia Regional General Manager of BGI Group; Wang Xiaohan, Southeast Asia Regional General Manager of BGI Genomics; and Liu Honghong, Southeast Asia Regional Sales Director of BGI Genomics.

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn delivered the opening speech. (Curtesy of PMAC.)

In his keynote speech, Wang Jian highlighted BGI Group's groundbreaking achievements in genomics and outlined a vision for making genomic technologies accessible to all. He emphasized the need for collective action to promote the global adoption of these technologies, stressing their potential as a universal healthcare resource. Wang discussed the integration of AI in genomics, presented the second phase of the Human Genome Project (HGP2) initiative to advance global understanding of the human genome through international collaboration, and proposed an international rare disease alliance to tackle conditions like thalassemia through shared resources.

Wang Jian emphasized BGI Group’s dedication to strengthening its longstanding collaboration with Thailand across multiple fields, including scientific research, education, and public health, to support the advancement of Thailand’s healthcare system. He highlighted that BGI is currently working with Thai partners on initiatives such as early screening and the prevention of thalassemia and rara disease.

In his keynote speech, Wang Jian highlighted BGI Group's groundbreaking achievements in genomics and outlined a vision for making genomic technologies accessible to all.

The keynote received high praise from attendees, who recognized it not only as a showcase of BGI Group’s innovative achievements in genomics but also as a reflection of the company’s strong sense of mission and responsibility in advancing global health. Local Thai media noted that BGI Group’s initiatives offered fresh perspectives and valuable direction for the development of Thailand’s public health efforts.

BGI Group has maintained a long-standing partnership with Thailand. Following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, BGI promptly dispatched a DNA identification team to assist in victim identification, showcasing its dedication to international humanitarian efforts. Over the years, BGI and Thai institutions have collaborated extensively on whole-genome research projects, joint talent training programs, and public health initiatives. In July 2023, BGI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital at Mahidol University, Hemogen Hong Kong Alpha Technology Co., Ltd., and Bangkok Genomics Innovation Public Company Limited (BKGI) to cooperate on the prevention and gene therapy of thalassemia.

The Prince Mahidol Award Conference (PMAC), hosted by the Thai Royal Family, is a prestigious international event in the global health sector. This year’s conference focused on the theme: “Harnessing Technologies in an Age of AI to Build a Healthier World.”