Tsinghua University brings hands-on multiomics training to young scientists

China’s international influence in life science and medical research has continued to rise in recent years. In 2025, China-based researchers authored papers that accounted for nearly one-third of all publications in leading global life science journals. Outbound licensing deals for innovative drugs also enjoyed record highs in both number of deals and revenue.

Beijing is jumping on this exciting momentum. The Genome Sequencing and Analysis Facility of the Technology Center for Protein Sciences at Tsinghua University has partnered with Illumina to launch the Innovative Life Science & Medical Practice Training (IMPACT) Program. The two-year program aims to integrate next-generation sequencing and multiomic technologies into hands-on university teaching, empowering young researchers to build an end-to-end research framework from experimental design to data-driven insights.

The inaugural three-day workshop focused on single-cell sequencing. Nearly 100 people participated onsite while the event generated more than 20,000 livestream views. Sixteen participants completed hands-on training in single-cell sequencing experiments and data analysis, and received certificates of completion.

“The Technology Center for Protein Sciences at Tsinghua University has long carried an important mission—to support cutting-edge life science research and serve major national strategic needs,” says Professor Xuerui Yang, Head of the Genome Sequencing and Analysis Facility of the Technology Center for Protein Sciences at Tsinghua University. “Through the IMPACT Program, we hope to help students and young scholars in multiomics and bioinformatics build systematic, big-picture research thinking at the early stages of their careers, and to cultivate a strong talent base for paradigm shifts and upstream innovation in life sciences.”

“As China’s life sciences sector advances toward high‑quality innovation, cutting‑edge technologies can only continue to deliver scientific and medical value when they are translated into real‑world practice.” says Illumina’s SVP and General Manager of Greater China, Jenny Zheng. “Anchored at the forefront of genomics and multiomics, Illumina remains committed to supporting the development of life sciences innovation in China through an approach that places equal emphasis on technology and application. Our collaboration with Tsinghua University represents a constructive exploration of accelerating the translation of advanced technologies through industry-academia partnership, opening up broader application opportunities for precision medicine and drug discovery.”

Over the next two years, Tsinghua University and Illumina plan to deliver 8 to 10 public lectures and four hands-on training workshops, covering integrated analysis of multi-dimensional datasets across genomics, single-cell, methylomics, proteomics, spatial transcriptomics, and more. The program is expected to attract nearly 1,000 young students and biomedical laboratory researchers onsite.

Life science research is rapidly entering the multiomics era. Genomic information alone is no longer sufficient to fully explain the mechanisms underlying complex diseases. Integrating multi-dimensional data can help research and clinical teams develop a more systematic understanding of biological processes and disease progression. Meanwhile, the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence is enabling researchers to mine and interpret massive multiomic datasets.

The first IMPACT workshop combined expert perspectives with end-to-end, full-process practice. On the first day, the public lecture was open to the broader community and livestreamed simultaneously. 

• Professor Zhengtao Xiao, an alumnus of the School of Life Sciences at Tsinghua University and a faculty member at the School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong University, reviewed the evolution of single‑cell technologies and, through the convergence of AI and NGS innovations, explored emerging research approaches that use biological networks as a “language” and intelligent agents to interpret and predict complex biological systems.
• Yao Su from the Genome Sequencing and Analysis Facility of the Technology Center for Protein Sciences at Tsinghua University introduced the fundamentals of bioinformatics, starting with data types and data structures, to help participants build a foundational understanding of data analysis workflows and methods, laying a solid basis for interpreting multiomics study design and results.
• Sarah Garcia, Illumina’s Associate Director of Clinical Research, presented Illumina’s multiomics insights ecosystem, outlining key technological pathways across genomics, single‑cell and proteomics, and their future potential in scientific and medical research. Vice President, Chief Scientist, and Head of the Illumina Artificial Intelligence Lab, Kyle Farh, MD, PhD, further shared how Perturb-Seq is accelerating mechanism discovery and target identification in precision medicine and drug development. Head of Medical Affairs at Illumina Greater China, Mark Wang, PhD, discussed from a translational perspective how multiomics innovation and Illumina’s practices are driving value in precision medicine research.

Information about upcoming program enrollment and livestream course schedules will be released via the official WeChat accounts of “THU Sequencing and Bioinformatics Platform” and “Illumina 因美纳.”