BIRDEM Deploys Illumina Gene Sequencing For Precision Oncology At One-Third Overseas Cost

In a technological breakthrough for precision oncology and molecular diagnostics in Bangladesh, BIRDEM General Hospital has operationalized high-throughput genomic sequencing protocols to guide targeted cancer therapies at roughly one-third of the expense incurred abroad. While comprehensive diagnostic gene profiling overseas routinely costs upwards of Tk 150,000—excluding courier transit and overseas travel expenditure—the same genomic panels are now conducted locally at BIRDEM for between Tk 12,000 and Tk 65,000.

The development was detailed on Sunday (1 November 2026) by Prof. Dr. Mohammad Sohrab Alam, Chief Research Officer at BIRDEM, and Mohammad Saif Uddin, Secretary General of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (BADAS), following an inspection of the molecular research laboratory.

High-Throughput Genomic Sequencing Infrastructure

The hospital’s specialized molecular pathology suite is powered by Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) platforms from US-based genomics enterprise Illumina, featuring the ‘NextSeq 550’ and ‘MiSeq’ sequencing architectures. Unlike legacy molecular diagnostic techniques restricted to isolated single-gene assays, these systems execute simultaneous targeted multi-gene panels capable of profiling 140 cancer-critical genes—analyzing 111 genomic DNA targets alongside 29 messenger RNA (RNA) expression targets.

Prof. Dr. Mohammad Sohrab Alam noted that malignant transformations are fundamentally underpinned by acquired or inherited DNA structural mutations induced by chemical mutagens, ionizing radiation, or cellular damage. The NGS facility routinely tests multi-system oncology panels encompassing breast, ovarian, pulmonary, gastric, colorectal, esophageal, hepatic, biliary, pancreatic, skin, and neuro-oncological malignancies.

Specific clinical applications target breast oncology profiles such as BRCA1, BRCA2, PIK3CA, TP53, and ATM; ovarian indicators including RAD51C and BRIP1; and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) driver genes such as EGFR, BRAF, KRAS, MET, ALK, ROS1, and RET. The lab also analyzes 27 Homologous Recombination Repair (HRR) pathway genes to isolate underlying DNA repair deficiencies.

Targeted Drug Regimens and Minimal Residual Disease Tracking

Because intra-tumor heterogeneity means uniform chemotherapy regimens yield uneven therapeutic responses, high-depth mutation profiling allows oncologists to deploy tailored targeted therapies, evaluate pharmacogenomic drug responses, preempt drug-resistance mutations, and screen for Minimal Residual Disease (MRD). Diagnostic pipelines utilize formal tumor tissue biopsy blocks or peripheral blood draws, with BIRDEM’s histopathology division preparing tissue margins without levying secondary specimen processing charges.

Turnaround times have been condensed to standard local windows, eliminating the 15- to 30-day delays inherent to foreign offshore sample shipments. To consolidate international clinical validity, the laboratory is actively progressing toward ISO 15189:2022 international quality accreditation.

BADAS Secretary General Mohammad Saif Uddin observed that localized access to genomic medicine directly addresses the chronic outbound patient flow to regional hubs like India, substantially conserving national foreign exchange reserves. He disclosed that BADAS is actively scouting a two-acre plot near the main facility to construct a specialized, full-fledged BIRDEM Cancer Hospital to integrate molecular diagnostics directly with specialized oncology wards, official sources confirmed. //DBTech/ASNR/SME/MVNO//