WUHAN -- Genome sequencer BGI has reached agreement with Wuhan city to build an agriculture research and training center there.

Mei Yonghong, director of the China National GeneBank (CNGB) and chair of BGI Agriculture Group, said as part of the BGI health town project, Wuhan would host a branch of CNGB and the agriculture center.

Run by BGI, a national gene bank went into operation in September 2016.

In addition to the gene bank in Shenzhen, BGI has a 20,000-square-meter standard laboratory and more than 20 life sciences research platforms in Wuhan, with cooperation arrangements with 120 hospitals in central China.

"After seven years, our research base in Wuhan is now the largest multi-omics data center in our group," said Mei.