On May 18th, 2008, six days after the “5.12 Wenchuan Earthquake”, BGI dispatched an Earthquake Disaster Relief Task Force led by BGI Co-founder and Chairman Wang Jian to the disaster area in Sichuan, China to assist the post-disaster infectious diseases detection and epidemic prevention. In the disaster area, the task force not only provided surveillance for major infectious diseases but also built up a detection system for disease prevention and control. BGI employees also donated money and materials to support some of the victims of the earthquake.

With the joint efforts of BGI and other rescue forces, no epidemics broke out during the disaster relief period. Local people affected by the disaster publicly expressed their gratitude to the volunteers who came from all over the country.