Our mission is to advance DNA sequencing technologies for everyone through innovation.

Universal Sequencing Technology (UST), based in Carlsbad (CA), is an innovative biotechnology company that develops and commercializes disruptive next-generation sequencing (NGS) solutions with a proven track record of success in the genomics space.

Founded in 2015, UST introduced TELL-Seq™ worldwide in 2019 to bring advanced ultra-long-linked-read technology to short read sequencers and researchers everywhere and continues to develop advanced technologies for the genomics industry.

Our proven technology enables short-read sequencers to produce ultra-long-range results (200kb or more) for diploid genomes of virtually any size (microbial, plant, animal, human, etc.) and for applications including de novo sequencing, metagenomics, whole-genome phasing, structural variation detection, phased whole-exome sequencing, and targeted sequencing.

The results are proven to be accurate and require very little DNA input (0.1 – 0.5 ng for bacteria and targeted gene panels, 3 – 5 ng for the human genepanels). A sequencing-ready library can be prepared in 3 hours or less. With a co-marketing and co-development relationship with Illumina signed in 2021, the TELL-Seq™ technology is a valuable tool for genomics research and is commercially available.

Dr. Ming Lei, Co-Founder and CEO, co-developer of multiple advanced NGS technologies, including TELL-Seq™, obtained his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from North Carolina State University and did postdoctoral training at the Johns Hopkins University Medical School. Dr. Lei has more than 30 years experience in NGS technology and medical device development. He was the new technology group leader at Roche/454 and participated in developing the world’s first high-throughput NGS sequencing platform.

Dr. Zhoutao (Tom) Chen, Co-Founder and CSO, key developer of TELL-Seq™ and AmpliDrop™, has over 20 years of R&D experience on NGS platforms and applications. Dr. Chen obtained his Ph.D. in Biology from McGill University (Canada) and did postdoctoral training in the industry. Dr. Chen was Principal Scientist and Senior Manager at Life Technnologies/Thermo Fisher, Staff Scientist at Roche/454; He participated in developing the world’s first high-throughput NGS sequencing platform, helped invent and develop 454 paired-end sequencing, SOLiD and Ion Torrent mate-paired sequencing, Ion Shear DNA fragmentation technology, Ion Torrent bi-directional sequencing, and isothermal clonal amplification, among many others.

Dr. Yong Wang, Co-founder and Head of Software, obtained his Ph.D. in Physics from Indiana University and has spent over 20 years in software engineering, project management, and consulting in various industrial sectors. A veteran engineer in the world’s first NGS platform maker, Roche/454 Life Sciences, he participated in developing the world’s first high-throughput NGS sequencing platform and made critical contributions to the 454 sequencing platform.