• Chicken: Gallus gallus
• Dog: Canis familiaris
• Fruitfly: D. melanogaster and D. pseudoobscura
• Fungal Genomes:
  - Aspergillus nidulans
  - Coccidioides immitis
  - Coprinus cinereus
  - Cryptococcus neoformans, Serotype A
  - Pneumocystis carinii (human and mouse)
  - Rhizopus oryzae
  - Ustilago maydis
  
• Honeybee: Apis mellifera
• Human: Homo sapiens
• Mouse: Mus musculus
• Pufferfish: Tetraodon nigroviridis
• Rat: Rattus norvegicus

NHGRI Large-Scale Sequencing Center awards are given to centers that have the highest capacity to efficiently provide superior quality data and have the best prospect of attaining and improving genome sequencing technology, robotics and bioinformatics. Agencourt is proud to be recognized by the sequencing community as one of the preeminent sequencing facilities through this award.

NHGRI Funded Large-Scale Sequencing Center Program History
In 1995 the NHGRI initiated a pilot project program to develop the sequencing technology necessary to sequence the human genome. Based on the success of that program, several large-scale sequencing centers were funded in early 1999 to determine the complete DNA sequence of the human genome by 2005, a project completed ahead of schedule in 2003. Due to the past success of the Large-Scale Sequencing Center program, NHGRI plans to continue to support genomic sequencing through concentrated funding of several high throughput, state-of-the-art sequencing centers.

NIH identified several key qualifications that all NHGRI funded large sequencing centers must exhibit, including:

• A capacity to finish at least 15Mb of sequence per month
• An overall average read length for successful reads of at least 550 high quality bases
• A high read pairing rate, if a strategy using paired end reads is employed
• The ability to produce both high quality draft genome assemblies and finished genome sequences
• The ability to use multiple genome sequencing strategies, including clone-based and whole genome shotgun approaches, and the ability to adapt and modify approaches as the technology and demands on the center change
• The ability to assemble genomic sequence at all scales (large- insert clone through whole genome)
• Expertise in efficiently closing and finishing large genomic regions
• Integrated bioinformatics capabilities to support production, including systems and database administration, laboratory information management, and data handling and deposition
• Ability to perform primary annotation of genomic sequence to maximize its utility for the biological community
• A technology development capability focused on developing and integrating technology improvements (e.g., robotics, chemistries, protocols) that lead to increased efficiency and decreased sequencing cost
• A proven track record in rapidly and efficiently releasing both sequence and trace data to public repositories
• A high degree of flexibility

Agencourt Bioscience was one of five sequencing centers that met and exceeded these qualifications. Agencourt was recognized by the NHGRI as having the ability to make significant contributions to the genomic community. We look forward to being involved in genomic initiatives that will have such profound and long lasting implications on life science research.