On September 19, Kunsulu Zakarya, Advisor to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Science and Innovation, and Akmaral Alnazarova, Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, led a delegation to visit the BGI Group headquarters. The delegation included representatives from Kazakhstan Ministry of Health, research institutes, and enterprises. Kuanysh Amantay, Minister Counselor of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in China, and Li Chuang, Deputy Director of Public Hygiene and Health Commission of Shenzhen Municipality, also accompanied the visit. 

Wang Jian, Chairman and Co-Founder of BGI Group, Zhao Lijian, CEO of BGI Genomics, Li Ning, Vice President of BGI Group, and Cheng Jun, General Manager for BGI CIS Region, and other BGI Group executives, received the guests. The two sides engaged in in-depth discussions on collaboration in scientific research, platform development, precision medicine, disease prevention, food security, and talent training.

Up: Wang Jian, Chairman and Co-Founder of BGI Group (left), exchanges a gift with Kunsulu Zakarya, Advisor to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Science and Innovation.
Down: Wang Jian exchanges a gift with Akmaral Alnazarova, Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Advisor Zakarya and Minister Alnazarova commended BGI's active cooperation in Kazakhstan, its efforts to enhance the country's precision medicine capabilities, and its strengthening of disease prevention measures. They expressed hope that BGI would continue to deepen cooperation with Kazakhstan in various fields.

Wang stated that BGI is willing to continue promoting collaboration with Kazakhstan in public health, fundamental scientific research, technology platforms, and agricultural science. He emphasized the importance of talent exchange and training in these areas, ensuring that genetic technology benefits the people of Kazakhstan.

Group picture of the Kazakhstan delegation with BGI Group executives.

In July this year, the Astana Genetic Center (AGC), a genetic testing laboratory jointly established by BGI Genomics and local partners, was inaugurated in Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan. The laboratory provides healthcare services to local residents while also promoting academic exchange and training local experts of genomics. In October 2023, BGI Group signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Medical Center Hospital of the President's Affairs Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Astana Medical University to further collaboration in precision medicine and talent training.