History

History and Aims

We understand that research is often performed through iteration and firmly believe that the speed of our services should never be the bottleneck in your work. We have created a facility that is able to process samples without backlog, and we expand our capacity as needed to maintain this. Within two weeks of receiving your samples, SeqCenter will sequence and deliver your data to you.

Aim 1

Provide the speed of service that we wanted as researchers.

The Microbial Genome Sequencing Center (MiGS) began as a core facility within the University of Pittsburgh in early 2015. Our aim was to provide microbiology researchers with high-quality sequencing data at a lower cost and on a timeline matching the pace of research. It quickly became obvious that this need extended well beyond the university and in 2019, to best serve the needs of researchers across the world, MiGS became a private company with the same founding aims. In 2022, we began to expand our services to assist researchers beyond the microbial world and became SeqCenter to better reflect the limitless possibilities that exist for the application of our genomic services.

Aim 2

Offer pricing models that allow researchers to incorporate sequencing into their work.

Until recently, the focus on large genomes has made it cost-prohibitive for researchers to use sequencing-based inquiries for smaller microbial genomes. We have implemented methods that allow us to provide labs of all sizes, including undergraduate-serving colleges, with services suitable for large-scale analysis or small classes without straining limited budgets. It is our goal to provide researchers, educators and students with rapid access to state-of-the-art genomic data.

Aim 3

Lower the barrier of entry to genomic research.

We know that it can be challenging for researchers who are unfamiliar with analyzing whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data to incorporate it into their studies. We believe that WGS results can benefit a broad range of microbiology research, from confirming that engineered mutants are otherwise isogenic to deeper studies of population dynamics or microbiome composition, and we hope to facilitate labs with no previous experience to take the first steps. We use leading, open-source software written by world-class researchers to produce user-friendly output for customers. We also provide even the most novice user with the means to generate and analyze their own sequencing data in hopes of making this highly useful method accessible to every lab.