VCU and Virginia Tech launch historic partnership to bring revolutionary high-throughput sequencing system to researchers

By Emily Komornik
Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation

Virginia Commonwealth University and Virginia Tech have officially launched a historic partnership with the joint purchase of the Illumina NovaSeq X Plus, a revolutionary high-throughput sequencing system that marks a historic shift in how research infrastructure operates in the state.

This collaboration sets a new precedent for higher education in Virginia as the first instance of a single piece of research instrumentation, funded through the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, being jointly owned, managed and operated by two independent universities. By bridging resources between Richmond and Blacksburg, the partnership brings commercial-grade sequencing power in-house, ensuring faculty remain at the forefront of genomic discovery while maximizing taxpayer-supported resources.

The NovaSeq X Plus is the most advanced sequencing platform available, capable of generating up to 20 terabases (20 x 10¹² bases) of data in a single run, or more than 2.5 times the output of its predecessors. For Virginia researchers, this translates to a 60% reduction in sequencing costs and a significant increase in data accuracy and speed.

To mark the occasion, leadership from both universities joined state legislators, faculty and industry partners for a ribbon-cutting ceremony held April 2 at VCU’s McGlothlin Medical Education Center. P. Srirama Rao, Ph.D., VCU’s vice president for research and innovation, and Daniel Sui, Ph.D., Virginia Tech’s senior vice president and chief research and innovation officer, were joined by Virginia Delegates Betsy Carr (District 78) and Lindsey Dougherty (District 75), along with SCHEV Deputy Director and Chief of Staff Jennifer Mayton. The gathering, which included Illumina representative Chris Brown and key university research officials, served as a formal unveiling of the NovaSeq X Plus. The instrument is not only a university asset but is a vital investment in Virginia’s standing as a national leader in biotechnology. 

“This partnership sets a new precedent,” Rao said. “It serves as a template for how Virginia’s institutions can collaborate to share high-end infrastructure, ensuring that the commonwealth of Virginia remains a national and global leader in innovation. By joining forces with Virginia Tech, we are bringing commercial capacity in-house, reducing the cost for our researchers as well as providing them with tailored assistance with their research from our highly trained and highly skilled Genomics Core leadership.”

The initiative was born of a “doing more with less” research climate. While the acquisition would not have been feasible independently, a joint venture allows both universities to share operational expenses and balance demand.

“This was not simply a financial agreement; it was a decision grounded in both practicality and long-term vision,” Sui said. “It positions our institutions to compete at the highest levels of research and innovation, and it sets a clear precedent for the future: not operating in parallel, but working smarter together to solve complex problems.”

Beyond the hardware, the partnership offers bench-side collaboration that commercial labs cannot replicate. Researchers at both institutions now have direct access to experts who can provide tailored solutions for complex projects.

The NovaSeq X Plus is currently the only non-commercial system of its kind in Virginia. With its ability to sequence the equivalent of more than 60 or more human genomes in a single run, the instrument is expected to accelerate breakthroughs in everything from precision medicine to agricultural resilience.

To learn more about this machinery and each institution’s genomics cores, visit research.vcu.edu/resources/cores/genomics/ and fralinlifesci.vt.edu/core-services/gsf.html.