China's BGI sets up Asia Pacific hub in Australia's Queensland

China's BGI has chosen Queensland, Australia as its Asia Pacific headquarters and will start operating from its new Brisbane hub instantly.

BGI, formerly known as Beijing Genomics Institute, and dubbed as one of the world's top genome sequencing centers, will also employ 10 Queenslanders researchers at its new hub, the institute said during a media conference on Tuesday.

BGI President and Co-founder Jian Wang said the new center would be based within the existing grounds of the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute.

"We have been considering coming to Queensland for some time given the strength of Queensland's research sector and a visionary state government committed to innovation and science as the driving forces of economic development," Wang said.

Queensland Deputy Premier and Minister for Trade and Investment Jackie Trad said she was delighted for the institutes establishment as it meant more job opportunities for Queensland researchers.

"They will be working closely with Queensland universities and government bodies on key research issues in genomics, healthcare, agriculture and biodiversity. BGI have already secured partnerships with CSIRO, Griffith and James Cook University and will be formalizing agreements with them later today (Tuesday)," Trad said.

"BGI employs 5,000 people worldwide and their decision to invest here in Queensland is a fantastic endorsement of the Palaszczuk Government's Advance Queensland initiatives," she said. Enditem