CRID scientists have taken another major step in advancing disease surveillance across Africa.
The Illumina MiSeq i100 Plus
CRID scientists have taken another major step in advancing disease surveillance across Africa. From September 8 to 11, 2026, researchers Dr. Estelle Mewamba, Dr. Eugénie Magang, Bertrand Mbakam, Marceline Nke, and Ghislaine Tchountchui completed intensive hands-on training led by Mr. Harry Adi, Field Application Scientist at ISN, following the successful installation and setup of CRID's new sequencing platform: the Illumina MiSeq i100 Plus.
Designed for versatility and cost-efficiency, the MiSeq i100 Plus is ideal for research environments in low- and middle-income countries due to its room-temperature storage cartridges, eliminating complex cold-chain storage needs. This system equips CRID to perform bacterial whole-genome shotgun sequencing, 16S metagenomic profiling, and targeted amplicon sequencing on site.
Throughout the four-day session, the team covered the full sequencing pipeline—from hardware configuration and local or cloud run setup to sample validation using PhiX dilutions. The training also emphasized data processing, where participants configured onboard DRAGEN pipelines, evaluated sequencing run quality metrics, and mastered secondary analysis workflows. With this state-of-the-art system now operational, CRID strengthens its ability to deliver rapid, high-precision genomic intelligence to monitor and combat infectious diseases across the continent.
