Takara Bio USA, Inc. Launches Certified Service Provider Program to Advance Research Using NGS and Single-Cell Technologies

New program matches top researchers with expert service providers trained to offer a comprehensive suite of Shasta® single-cell and bulk RNA-seq NGS solutions

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#CertifiedServiceProvider--Takara Bio USA, Inc. (“Takara Bio USA”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Takara Bio Inc. ("Takara Bio"), today announced the launch of the Takara Bio Certified Service Provider (CSP) Program, which equips service providers to conduct customer experiments using advanced NGS and single-cell technologies from Takara Bio such as the Shasta® Single Cell System, a high-throughput single-cell analysis platform. Admera Health, a leading provider of NGS services, is recognized as the first organization to receive certification on the Shasta system, which positions Admera at the forefront of the single-cell genomics industry. With this program, Takara Bio USA is creating a network of trusted providers that have been trained and evaluated to deliver high-quality results, driving scientific progress globally.

Partnering to push research boundaries

As a result of the Takara Bio CSP Program, core labs and contract research organizations can expect official certification and recognition, marketing exposure, and the ability to attract new clients with validated services. Furthermore, partners will gain early access to upcoming Shasta technologies, ensuring priority evaluation and incorporation of new chemistries and workflows into their service offerings. Shasta workflows provide large-scale single-cell NGS library preparation and data analysis using a sophisticated dispensing and imaging platform, well-validated chemistries, and end-to-end software including the powerful Cogent™ bioinformatics tools.

“Admera is proud to be Takara Bio’s first certified service provider, giving our clients access to our world-class team of scientists who have mastered premier technologies with the goal of accelerating breakthroughs,” said Yun Zhao, CEO of Admera Health. “This partnership will take single-cell research to new heights. We are dedicated to providing the scientific community with a clear avenue to new discoveries enabled by Takara Bio’s first-to-market Shasta total RNA-seq workflow.”

Unlocking new possibilities in genomics and transcriptomics

Providers can now obtain certification to offer Shasta workflows within their portfolio of NGS library preparation and sequencing data analysis services. The Shasta system provides unparalleled detail and scale, mining more genomic and transcriptomic information from many more single cells than possible with current technologies, while saving time and costs. CSPs can be trained to execute three separate single-cell workflows, including total RNA-seq, whole-genome amplification (WGA) for DNA-seq, and mRNA-seq.

The Shasta Total RNA-Seq Kit detects RNA biotypes beyond mRNA with full gene-body coverage at high throughput. This workflow empowers organizations like Admera Health to analyze up to 100,000 single cells per run at a fraction of the cost per cell of instrument-free methods. Researchers can now detect splicing isoforms, gene fusions, and other novel biomarkers for applications such as studying tumor pathogenesis.

Similarly, the Shasta WGA Kit increases throughput significantly over existing WGA technologies. Providers can use a fully automated protocol to prepare single-cell DNA-seq libraries for up to 8 samples and 1,500 cells per run, reducing hands-on time and reagent usage per cell. This allows researchers, for example, to understand tumor heterogeneity and perform tumor subclonal analysis through copy number variation and single nucleotide variation profiling at a shallower sequencing depth, saving costs.

The SMART-Seq® Pro Application Kit provides the highest sensitivity for single-cell transcriptome analysis. Providers can use this kit to prepare full-length mRNA-seq libraries for up to 1,500 cells per run. Researchers will get outstanding sensitivity along with detection of alternative splicing and gene fusion events.

As NGS becomes more time- and cost-efficient, it becomes vital to have software that can transform sequencing data into a readily usable format for scientists. Easy-to-use Cogent solutions are designed to help professionals with all levels of bioinformatics experience produce useful visualizations of results and publication-ready figures, so researchers can draw firm conclusions and make critical decisions from each experiment.

Takara Bio also offers certification for core labs and service providers who have successfully helped customers prepare plate-based RNA-seq libraries using Takara Bio’s signature SMART-Seq technology. These kits are designed to prepare RNA-seq libraries from a wide variety of starting materials for diverse research needs.

Plugging researchers into a network of excellence

Life science research is becoming more complex and interconnected, and progress increasingly depends on alliances between specialized partners and a shared commitment to quality. Trust in data, methods, and technical expertise is essential for translating research from the lab bench toward real-world applications.

“The future of life science innovation will be built through collaboration and mutual standards of excellence,” said Carol Lou, President & CEO of Takara Bio USA. “The Certified Service Provider Program helps organizations align around proven best practices and researchers work with trusted partners to expand their capabilities. We congratulate Admera Health on achieving certified status and are extremely confident they will provide exceptional results with the Shasta system to move science forward.”

Becoming a certified service provider

CSPs receive formal training and validation to deliver services using Takara Bio technologies, demonstrating an ability to meet defined standards for technical expertise, workflow execution, and quality. For more information about joining the Takara Bio CSP Program, visit: takarabio.com/csp

About Takara Bio

Takara Bio USA, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Takara Bio Inc. that manufactures and distributes kits, reagents, and instruments for the life sciences, including NGS, spatial, PCR, gene delivery, genome editing, stem cell research, nucleic acid and protein purification, and automated sample preparation.

Takara Bio Inc., a world leader in biotechnology research and development, offers a host of life science research solutions, from enzymes and GMP-grade reagents to contracted cell and gene therapy manufacturing services and is the developer of the RetroNectin reagent, a world standard in gene therapy protocols. Takara Bio is committed to preventing disease and improving the quality of life for all people through the use of biotechnology.

Liz Quinn, PhD
VP, Marketing
liz_quinn@takarabio.com
650.919.7400