Research institute launches tender for high-throughput DNA sequencer
Tender seeks a high-throughput DNA sequencing platform to power advanced functional genomics, reflecting wider investment in next-generation sequencing.
Tender seeks a high-throughput DNA sequencing platform to power advanced functional genomics, reflecting wider investment in next-generation sequencing.
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EPFL has published a contract notice to buy a new high-throughput DNA sequencing platform for its Gene Expression Core Facility, supporting advanced functional genomics research in RNA sequencing, epigenomic profiling and genome sequencing. The move sits within a broader cycle of investments in sequencing equipment and services across universities, hospitals and research institutes.
On 2nd June 2026, EPFL set out its plan to acquire a high-throughput DNA sequencing platform dedicated to its Gene Expression Core Facility. The notice highlights three main application areas: RNA-seq, epigenomic profiling and genome sequencing.
The notice frames the purchase firmly in functional genomics, explicitly linking the platform to RNA-seq, epigenomic profiling and genome sequencing. By specifying a high-throughput system, EPFL indicates that this work is expected to run at significant scale within the Gene Expression Core Facility.
The text of the notice is concise and does not list technical parameters or service expectations. Instead, it centres on the research scope, leaving space for suppliers to propose configurations that can cover transcriptomic, epigenomic and genomic workflows on the same platform.
The EPFL procurement is one of many recent public-sector moves to refresh or expand sequencing capacity. In May 2026, UNIVERSITE DE MONTPELLIER issued a contract notice for the High-Throughput Sequencer Supply, covering the purchase and installation of a long fragment sequencer for the MGX-NGS platform at Biocampus, funded by CPER DiAMs. In March 2026, Masarykova univerzita followed with a tender to deliver a high-throughput sequencer for long reads.
Short-read and lower-throughput instruments remain important. Universitätsklinikum Köln AöR published a contract notice in December 2025 for a high-throughput short-read sequencing device for the Cologne Center for Genomics. Karolinska Institutet went to market in March 2026 for a low-to-mid throughput DNA sequencer.
Replacement of ageing equipment is another clear driver. Region Östergötland has launched a procurement, dated 2nd June 2026, for low throughput sequencing equipment able to deliver around 25 million reads per run, including an option for an additional unit to replace outdated systems. In April 2026, the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) sought a new benchtop genome sequencer with consumables and servicing for ten years to meet increasing demand for microbial genome sequencing in veterinary microbiology.
Some organisations are using early market engagement. NPL Management Limited began a supplier engagement exercise in May 2026 under the title DNA Sequencer Engagement, seeking input on a medium to high throughput instrument to support routine molecular genetics workflows, with emphasis on reliable performance, ease of use and comprehensive service support.
EPFL’s plan to equip its Gene Expression Core Facility sits alongside a series of procurements that target specific tissues, diseases or clinical contexts.
In April 2026, SAPIENZA UNIVERSITA' DI ROMA announced a preliminary market consultation for a spatial transcriptomic platform for in situ gene expression analysis on tissue, capable of detecting RNA and proteins with high optical resolution and customisable panels for extensive gene targeting. Uppsala universitet, in March 2026, set out a procurement for a spatial multiomics platform to support spatial biology and cancer immunology research, including supply, installation, training and maintenance for high-resolution protein and RNA detection.
Oncology-focused centres are building dedicated sequencing capability. Fakultní nemocnice Motol a Homolka issued a contract notice in March 2026 for sequencing equipment for an oncology centre, covering devices for high-precision whole-genome and whole-transcriptome sequencing for research and diagnostic purposes. The National Institute of Oncology, Országos Onkológiai Intézet, went to market in March 2026 for a sequencing device rental to support molecular diagnostics, setting requirements for various genomic analyses and maintenance throughout the rental period.
In April 2026, I.F.O. published a tender for the rental of an automated NGS sequencing platform designed for high-productivity molecular characterisation of solid neoplasms and cytological samples. In February 2026, Universitatea de Medicina si Farmacie "Carol Davila" launched a contract notice for the supply and installation of genomic research equipment, combining high-throughput and portable sequencing systems with accessory services for several medical research institutions.
Alongside investments in instruments, many buyers are turning to service contracts and frameworks to secure sequencing capability. In December 2025, Université catholique de Louvain published a framework agreement for high-throughput sequencing services covering short fragments using an Illumina sequencer and very long fragments using a PacBio sequencer, including decoding of methylation profiles. That same month, Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Illes Balears put out a call for genomic sequencing services to support biomedical research projects focused on genetic analysis and molecular characterisation in the Balearic Islands.
Environmental research bodies are following a similar path. The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) is establishing, in a May 2026 contract notice, a framework for next-generation sequencing services across four lots, allowing suppliers to deliver various genomic analyses for diverse research programmes. INRAE - Centre PACA, in a notice dated 22nd May 2026, is procuring high-throughput DNA sequencing services for the Mediterranean Forest Ecology Research Unit in Avignon.
Several procurements combine sequencing capability with a strong focus on data processing. The Instytut Biologii Doświadczalnej im. M.Nenckiego PAN is acquiring, under a March 2026 notice, a high-throughput long-read sequencing system capable of simultaneous epigenetic information reading, with staff training included. Sieć Badawcza Łukasiewicz - PORT Polski Ośrodek Rozwoju Technologii outlined, in an April 2026 prior information notice, plans for the delivery of a DNA/RNA sequencing system with high-performance long-read capability, local data processing and dedicated software for advanced genomic analyses.
Data infrastructure at larger scale is also coming into view. In May 2026, the Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen e.V. issued a contract notice for a genome database for long-read genomes, covering planning and implementation of a scalable database for neurodegenerative diseases alongside data processing and sequencing services for up to 25,000 long-read genomes.
Taken together, these procurements show public-sector buyers seeking higher throughput, broader assay types and tighter integration between sequencing platforms, services and data infrastructure. EPFL’s contract notice adds to this picture by placing functional genomics at the centre, with a single platform expected to support RNA-seq, epigenomic profiling and genome sequencing within a core facility.
As detailed specifications and award decisions emerge, they will indicate how buyers balance in-house platforms against outsourced services, how they handle long-read and epigenetic data, and how they organise the processing of large sequencing datasets described in several of the notices. For suppliers and researchers alike, EPFL’s tender and its peers point to a sustained, incremental build-out of genomic capacity across laboratories and disciplines.
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