Deeply Grateful to My Illumina Colleagues

When it comes to Illumina’s new NovaSeq X series, words like “revolutionary” and “breakthrough” immediately come to mind.  And it’s no surprise why given the flagship sequencer’s specifications: 2.5 times the throughput of our previous industry leading sequencers, significantly driving down the cost of sequencing; a 90% reduction in packaging weight and waste; amongst other unique qualities. 

But #NovaSeq X is also revolutionary in a way that can’t be described by technical details alone. Revolutionary in terms of the incredible team that led NovaSeq X’s entire development effort from the initial concept phase, through development and testing, and then finally to its official unveiling last week at the Illumina Genomics Forum (#IGF ).  

I am proud that the NovaSeq X Core Team, like our customers, represents diversity across cultures, career experience and gender; in particular, it’s a great example of inspiring women at Illumina as well as in our wider industry.  Kimberly Busiek, PhD , said it best by noting that “the diverse faces that brought this product to life are the same ones we hope to deliver NovaSeq X to around the world.” She added “the team’s inclusive nature ensured that all perspectives were heard. Because of this, we’re optimistic that NovaSeq X will resonate with a broader customer base.” 

This entire leadership team is a major reason why the most important product launch in Illumina’s history has been a successful one.  Valerie Uzzell , PhD, noted “I’m proud to have the opportunity to work with a fantastic team of leaders to deliver the best sequencer in the world.” And Bindya Dhanekula added “NovaSeq X’s success comes down to the team embodying Illumina’s core values: Move fast and embrace change; Innovation is in our DNA; and Deep Collaboration. To me, adhering to these values really enabled us to deliver an amazing product that has already received positive responses from our customers.”

The team overcame every challenge they faced, including supply chain constraints.  And the team did not shy away from tackling complex technical challenges such as delivering a much more capable sequencer in the same form factor as Illumina's NovaSeq 6000. And let’s not forget that this team drove the development of NovaSeq X while in the midst of the global pandemic.

Along with many other colleagues, the core team leaders ensured that NovaSeq X reflected the right balance of technology innovation, design sophistication, and user experience, while also significantly reducing waste and environmental impact. 

And they incorporated customer feedback into every single aspect of the sequencer.  One of my proudest #IGF moments was when Bindya told me about her interactions with customers: “Anything they asked about NovaSeq X, we said ‘yes’ this product does that for you.” 

The NovaSeq X Core Team represents our relentless drive for innovation, and why Illumina has such a loyal customer base. Thank you.

#illuminaproud

#genome

#precisionmedicine