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We’re a team of scientists and industry heads dedicated to the advancement of genomics technologies and assays

Sequins is a privately held genomics technology company located in San Francisco, USA and Sydney, Australia. Born from a successful and widely published research program in Co-Founder Professor Tim Mercer’s lab at the Garvan Institute in Sydney, Sequins has developed an innovative DNA and RNA sequencing control standards platform. Based on mirroring technology, Sequins controls can be spiked into individual samples without compromising sample integrity and results.

Synthetic spike-in technology invented in co-founder Prof. Tim Mercer's lab at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia.

2015

2016

RNA

Nature methods

2016 Spliced mRNA isoform Sequins demonstrate a qualitative and quantitative reference for transcriptome sequencing.

WGS

Nature methods

2016 Landmark publication describing Sequins synthetic DNA spike-in technology, including quantitative features, somatic mutations, structural and copy number variations.

200+ leading genomics laboratories around the world collaborate, receiving academic use-only Sequins.

2017

General

Nature reviews genetics

2017 Comparing different types of reference standards with spike-in controls across different NGS applications.

General

Bioinformatics

2017 Showcasing Sequins software toolkit for the analysis of spike-in controls for NGS.

2018

metagenomics

Nature communications

2018 Using Sequins for metagenomics.

Production of Sequins at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney.

2019

WGS

Nature communications

2019 Describing the use of Sequins in both WGS and target-enriched sequencing applications.

General

Nature communications

2019 Demonstrating mirrored or chiral DNA sequences act as ideal controls for natural sequences, particularly for clinical genomics.

RNA

Nature communications

2019 Demonstrating use of Sequins in a diagnostic workflow for fusion genes, improving sensitivity and quantitation.

2020

General

nature communications

2020 Demonstrating Sequins as a reference ladder for NGS in metagenomics and human genome analyses to provide a quantitative framework for reference-free genome analysis, achieving best-in class library normalization and more accurate quantitative comparisons between samples.

Prof. Tim Mercer chairs the FDA’s SEQC2 liquid biopsy working group for new reference standards.

2021

ctdna

nature biotechnology

2021 Multi-center study evaluating the analytical validity of ctDNA assays using ctDNA-like Sequins as synthetic spike-in controls for 5 leading assays across 12 participating research and clinical facilities.

RNA

Scientific reports

2021 Chimeric paired A/B molecular controls enables cross-validation of positive and negative controls between the paired standards in the same SARS COV2 molecular test reaction, with identical conditions.

General

genome biology

2021 FDA-led consortium MAQC uses Sequins for standardized evaluation of NGS technologies to benchmark the impact of experimental and bioinformatic variables on generation of NGS data, and evaluate inter and intra-lab variability.

Life sciences entrepreneur and investor, Alex Gough, co-founds Sequins as a company with Tim Mercer and venture capital partners, exclusively licensing all Sequins technology.

2022

WGS

genome biology

2022 Using Sequins as WGS controls in an analytical validation of diagnosis using NGS in difficult regions of the genome.

Completing a seed round of venture funding, Sequins assembles a team across Sydney, Brisbane and California, and establishes a commercial R&D lab in Sydney.

2023

Development of commercially ready production and quality control platforms for all DNA, ctDNA and molecular ladder constructs.

2024

Working with selected Early Access partners to develop the platform towards commercial readiness.

2024

Sequins hires Commercial and Market team, headed by long-term genomics industry executive, Jeremy Preston.

2024

Global launch of the first commercially available Sequins synthetic spike-in control products.

2025