The UESM Sequencing Platform embodies North-West University’s vision of being a pre-eminent institution in Africa, driven by knowledge and innovation.
The platform is more than technology – it is also a hub for discovery, collaboration and capacity building.
We enable researchers to decode DNA and RNA with precision, transforming biological material into actionable knowledge.
Our workflows cover everything from sample preparation and sequencing to ensuring accurate, reproducible and impactful results.
Beyond generating data, the platform strengthens institutional capacity by training students and interns, fostering critical skills, and nurturing the next generation of scientists.
In this way, the sequencing platform advances NWU’s mission to produce high-quality, relevant research and deliver innovative solutions that address challenges in health, agriculture, and environmental sustainability – locally engaged, nationally relevant, and internationally recognised.
Sequencing platforms
Sequencing platforms
Seqstudio genetic analyzer
Illumina NextSeq2000
Oxford Nanopore MinION1KB
Oxford Nanopore Technologies PromethION 2Solo
Services
Services
Nucleic acid Quantification and Quality control
Sanger Sequencing
Sanger sequencing remains a cornerstone of molecular biology, offering unmatched accuracy. Beyond its research applications, Sanger sequencing is highly valuable in education, providing interns and students with a foundational understanding of DNA sequencing before advancing to more complex technologies. Rather than being replaced, it complements NGS by serving as a reliable tool for validation, troubleshooting and targeted sequencing in cases where high-throughput approaches are unnecessary. It is also cost-effective for targeted work, such as sequencing short DNA fragments, single genes, or PCR products. It remains a trusted method in clinical diagnostics for validating mutations.
Applications
- Targeted DNA sequencing
- NGS confirmation
- Microbial sequencing
- Mitochondrial sequencing
- Microsatellite marker analysis
Next Generation Sequencing
Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) has transformed genomics by delivering the speed, scale and depth that traditional methods cannot match. Unlike single-gene approaches, NGS enables the comprehensive analysis of entire genomes, transcriptomes, and metagenomes in a single experiment. Its high-throughput capacity enables researchers to gain complex biological insights, from detecting rare variants and profiling microbial communities to exploring gene expression at single-cell resolution. NGS is cost-effective for large-scale projects, adaptable across diverse applications, and essential for advancing precision medicine, agricultural sustainability, and environmental monitoring. Integrating NGS into our workflows empowers researchers with the tools to answer bigger questions, validate discoveries, and drive innovation across disciplines.
Applications
- Targeted metagenomics sequencing (16S rRNA/ITS)
- Shotgun metagenomics
- Whole genome sequencing
- Metatranscriptome sequencing
- Whole transcriptome sequencing
- mRNA sequencing
Training and workshops
At the UESM Sequencing Facility, we believe that building scientific capacity starts with empowering the next generation of researchers. Our training programmes for interns and students offer hands-on experience of both Sanger sequencing and Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) techniques, providing participants with a solid grounding in classical methods while enabling them to master cutting-edge technologies.
By combining traditional and modern sequencing techniques, our programmes foster critical thinking, problem-solving and collaborative research skills. Participants leave with the confidence to apply sequencing technologies in a variety of fields, including medicine, agriculture, and environmental science.
