An artist's impression of the intelligent manufacturing and R&D center that has started construction in Optics Valley. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

With investment of 2.4 billion yuan ($358 million), an intelligent manufacturing, research and development center broke ground on Oct 25 in the East Lake High-tech Development Zone -- also known as Optics Valley of China -- in Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei province.

The owner of the facility is MGI Tech Co Ltd, or MGI, which is one of three companies globally that can independently develop and produce clinical high-throughput gene sequencers.

The new facility in Optics Valley will be the largest production base for the company in China.

The first phase of the project will be completed and put into operation in 2022. It is expected to promote Wuhan as a world-class production hub with core tools for gene sequencing.

With a total planned construction area of 86,000 square meters, the project will build an IM base for gene sequencers, a base for supporting reagents and chips for gene sequencers and a research center for high-end intelligent equipment.

It will focus on R&D of key technologies for high-end equipment, such as artificial intelligence devices, mass spectrometers and imagery and wearable devices.

MGI is a subsidiary of BGI, a major genome research organization, providing genomics services such as genetic data, sequencing and gene technology applications.

Over the past 10 years, BGI has invested over 1 billion yuan in the zone, in areas such as medical testing, cell therapy, logistics and customer service centers, biological sample centers and research institutes.

Optics Valley has become the largest data production center, as well as customer service center and logistics center for BGI in the world.

The gene industry is now one of the key industries of the zone.

Based on the zone's Biolake -- a national bio-industry base -- the zone has attracted over 200 enterprises in the field of genomics to date.

The zone has formed a gene industry chain that integrates upstream equipment production, upstream diagnostic reagents development and production, gene sequencing services and downstream medical detection and diagnoses.

And the zone is a national demonstration model for gene detection product production and is also a technology application center.