Gene research is an effective way to prevent birth defects and discover genetic diseases in their early stages. It’s also what enables you to open your iPhone with the touch of a thumb.
基因研究是早期预防出生缺陷和发现遗传疾病的有效途径。它也让你能够用指纹解锁iPhone。
Enter the China National GeneBank (CNGB), the largest gene bank of its kind in the world. Situated on the foot of Guanyin Mountain in Dapeng New District, Shenzhen, the center is used for preserving and managing genome data and biological samples as well as carrying out research for hundreds of millions of genetic samples. The site is also home to a cancer database with more than 3,000 samples.中国国家基因库的规模是全球同类基因库中最大的。它坐落于深圳市大鹏新区观音山脚下，用于保存管理基因组数据和生物样品，并进行数亿种遗传样品的研究。它还是拥有3000多个样本的癌症数据库的所在地。Resembling a cruise ship and holding a massive library of animal, plant, microorganism and human body cell samples, the CNGB is often nicknamed ‘China’s Noah’s Arc’ by mainland media.国家基因库外形好似一艘游轮，拥有大量动物、植物、微生物和人体细胞的样本，大陆媒体送它一个外号“中国的诺亚方舟”。Prior to its opening in September 2016, the world’s largest gene banks were located in the US, Japan and Britain.
2016年9月，国家基因库投入运营，此前，世界上最大的几家基因库分别位于美国、日本和英国。“We hope to make the gene bank China’s – and even the world’s – largest biological information data center, like Google but in the field of life and health data,” Director Mei Yonghong is quoted as saying.基因库主任梅永红表示：“我们希望把这个基因库建成国内乃至全球最大的生物信息数据中心，成为生命和健康数据领域的谷歌公司。”