On World Standards Day, BGI Group celebrates the power of standards to connect innovation with real-world impact - transforming pioneering life science discoveries into trusted, scalable solutions that benefit people, industries, and the planet.
On World Standards Day, BGI Group celebrates how standards turn life science innovation into trusted, scalable solutions for people, industries, and the planet.
For more than two decades, BGI Group has advanced a comprehensive technology system spanning multiple sectors of life sciences. Built upon this foundation, BGI has developed a coordinated model integrating large-scale platforms, big science projects, major industrial applications, and public wellbeing. Across fields such as medical health, biomanufacturing, modern agriculture, food safety, forensic science, ecological conservation, and public health, BGI has consistently regarded standardization as a vital bridge between technological innovation and industrial application.
As of September 2026, BGI has proposed, participated in the development of, and released 468 standards, covering key life science areas including reproductive health, precision oncology, life science tools, gene synthesis, and genome editing. Among them are 12 international standards and two European standards, reflecting BGI’s growing role in building a more open, interoperable, and trusted global biotechnology ecosystem.
Building Standards on a Strong Foundation of Scientific Innovation
Standards begin with science. As of October 10, 2026, BGI had published 6,262 scientific papers, including 964 papers in CNNS journals (the leading academic journals Cell, Nature, New England Journal of Medicine, Science, and their related publications, if any) of which 201 were published in flagship journals. In the 2026 Nature Index annual rankings, BGI ranked No. 1 globally among corporate institutions in biological sciences, and has remained first among Asia-Pacific corporate institutions in biological sciences for 11 consecutive years.
This sustained output of high-quality research provides the scientific evidence, technical validation, and international consensus needed to support robust standards development.
BGI’s contributions span a series of pioneering international standards in biotechnology, medical laboratories, and in vitro diagnostics, including:
- ISO/TS 20388:2021 — Biotechnology — Biobanking — Requirements for the storage of animal biological material
- ISO/TS 23105:2021 — Biotechnology — Biobanking — Requirements for the biobanking of plant biological material for research and development
- ISO/TS 5798:2022 — In vitro diagnostic test systems — Requirements and recommendations for detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by nucleic acid amplification methods
- ISO 24603:2022 — Biotechnology — Biobanking — Requirements for human and mouse pluripotent stem cells
- ISO/TS 24420:2023 — Biotechnology — Massively parallel DNA sequencing — General requirements for data processing of shotgun metagenomic sequences
- ISO/TS 23511:2023 — Biotechnology – General requirements and considerations for cell line authentication
- ISO/TS 8392:2023 — Genomics informatics — Description rules for genomic data for genetic detection products and services
- ISO 20688-2:2024 — Biotechnology — Nucleic acid synthesis — Part 2: Requirements for the production and quality control of synthesized gene fragments, genes, and genomes
- ISO 20309:2025 — Biotechnology — Biobanking — Requirements for deep-sea biological material
- ISO/TS 20738:2026 — Genomics informatics — Requirements of data analysis for direct-to-consumer testing
- ISO 23511:2026 — Biotechnology — General requirements and considerations for cell line identification and cross-contamination testing
- ISO/TS 20853:2026 — Biotechnology — Bioprocessing — General requirements for bacteriophage preparation for therapeutic use
Together, these standards form part of an emerging global framework for quality, reliability, interoperability, and responsible innovation in the life sciences.
Advancing Global Standards Across the Life Science Innovation Chain
BGI’s standards work is closely aligned with its core life science platforms.
In biological resource conservation, ISO 20309:2025, developed with partners including the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, helps standardize the collection, field and laboratory processing, transportation, preservation, documentation, and quality management of deep-sea biological materials. This supports the reliable storage and sharing of valuable biological resources from some of the most extreme environments on Earth.
In genomic data analysis, ISO/TS 20738:2026, initiated by BGI together with partners including the China National Institute of Standardization, addresses data cleaning, variant annotation, risk models, database traceability, and reporting boundaries for direct-to-consumer genetic testing. By reducing discrepancies between platforms and helping prevent over-interpretation of health results, the standard strengthens trust in personalized health management and supports cross-institutional recognition.
In synthetic biology, ISO 20688-2:2024 represents the first international standard in the field of synthetic biology. As a joint drafting organization deeply involved from the preliminary project stage, BGI contributed to establishing requirements for the production and quality control of synthesized gene fragments, genes, and genomes. This provides a clearer framework for gene synthesis and supports the steady development of the biomanufacturing industry.
In cell science and translational research, ISO 23511:2026, proposed by BGI, provides general requirements for cell line authentication and cross-contamination detection across culture, preservation, translational research, and production scenarios. It helps safeguard reproducibility - a cornerstone of reliable life science research.
In antimicrobial resistance and emerging therapies, ISO/TS 20853:2026, also proposed by BGI, provides a unified framework for the isolation, purification, identification, screening, preservation, titer determination, and quality control of therapeutic phage preparations. This supports the transition of phage therapy from scientific and clinical exploration toward standardized, regulatable, and scalable development.
From biological resources to genomic data, from biomanufacturing to therapeutic applications, BGI’s standardization work demonstrates how technical consensus can accelerate innovation while enhancing quality, safety, and public trust.
Global Collaboration for Shared Scientific Progress
Standardization is, at its heart, a collaborative endeavor.
To support the development of biotechnology standards, BGI has built a professional standards expert team composed of technical specialists from across disciplines. Team members serve in dozens of international standardization organizations and industry alliances, participate deeply in international technical committees in biotechnology, and collaborate extensively with experts around the world.
In addition to international standards, BGI has contributed to national, industry, and group standards across biotechnology, high-throughput sequencing, biobanking, clinical diagnostics, biomanufacturing, food testing, and forensic evidence. As early as 2019, BGI worked with the National Institute of Metrology, China to develop GB/T 37873-2019, General Assessment of Quality Evaluation for Synthesized Genes, laying important groundwork for the later development of the first international standard for quality control of synthesized genes.
These efforts reflect BGI’s belief that standards are not merely technical documents — they are enabling infrastructure for global cooperation, quality assurance, and equitable access to scientific progress.
Standards for People, Nature, and a Sustainable Future
The value of standards ultimately lies in their ability to protect life and nature.
BGI has been deeply involved in the Earth BioGenome Project, leading sub-projects such as the 10,000 Plant Genomes Project and the 10,000 Bird Genomes Project. To date, BGI has completed genome sequencing for more than 4,000 species, including rare and endangered species such as the giant panda and crested ibis, contributing genomic tools and data to biodiversity conservation.
From land to the deep sea, BGI continues to expand the frontiers of life science. In marine science, BGI has descended into the hadal zone with the Fendouzhe deep-sea submersible, participated in Arctic scientific expeditions, analyzed marine species such as the Chinese white dolphin, explored deep-sea bioactive molecules, and led the development of China’s first national and international standards for deep-sea biological samples.
In sustainable agriculture and environmental protection, BGI has built an agricultural microbial resource bank spanning 15 provinces, developed microbial agents, desert soilization technology, and perennial rice. It has also applied genetic technologies to wastewater monitoring and harmless treatment, while receiving an industry-first greenhouse gas emissions verification statement — reflecting its commitment to low-carbon operations.
From Pioneering Exploration to a Common Global Language
BGI understands that every breakthrough in life science begins with bold exploration beyond established pathways. Yet for such breakthroughs to benefit more people, they must be supported by open, consensus-based standards.
That is why BGI continues to participate in improving existing standards systems while actively contributing standardization solutions in emerging technology areas. BGI has proposed the establishment of ISO/TC 276/WG 6, the international working group responsible for standardization in the area of Nucleic acid- and protein-based devices under the ISO technical committee for Biotechnology (ISO/TC 276); the Genomic Identification Working Group under China’s national information technology standardization framework; the Data and Database Working Group under China’s national biochemical testing standardization framework, and the Jiangsu Synthetic Biology Standardization Technical Committee.
Through platforms such as the Belt and Road Life Sciences Economy Alliance and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Standards Innovation Alliance, BGI continues to work with global partners to convert frontier exploration into shared, interoperable, and internationally recognized “common language.”
Looking Ahead
On World Standards Day, BGI Group reaffirms its commitment to advancing life science standards through openness, cooperation, and shared responsibility.
Looking to the future, BGI will continue working with global partners in emerging interdisciplinary fields such as multi-omics technologies and the integration of biology and digital technologies. By building consensus, improving international rules, and promoting responsible innovation, BGI aims to ensure that more scientific achievements can benefit people worldwide.