Core Insights - Bionano Genomics showcased advancements in optical genome mapping (OGM) during Symposium 2026, emphasizing its potential for scaling up to thousands of samples per year through automation and advanced software solutions [1][2][10] Group 1: Symposium Highlights - The event attracted over 1,250 registrants and featured 35 speakers, highlighting the community's engagement and the advancements in OGM technology [2] - Dr. Alexander Hoischen from Radboud University Medical Center emphasized 2026 as a pivotal year for scaling OGM, aiming to process 3,000 samples annually, up from 500 in 2025 [3] - Dr. Chantal Courtemanche presented a protocol for purifying DNA and RNA from FFPE samples using Bionano's Ionic system, which enhances the quality of next-generation sequencing (NGS) assays [4] Group 2: Technological Innovations - Dr. Vineet Bafna introduced a computational tool called OMKar for generating digital karyotypes from complex chromosomal rearrangements, which could enhance future software developments [5] - Dr. Brandon Shaw demonstrated how VIA software supports the analysis of OGM data, facilitating consistent assessments of structural variants in hematologic malignancies [6][7] - Dr. Adam Smith discussed the scalability of OGM, noting that it could process up to 10,000 samples per year, significantly outperforming long-read sequencing systems in terms of throughput and cost [10] Group 3: Community and Future Directions - The International OGM Consortium (ICOGM) was introduced to foster collaborative research efforts in OGM [11] - The final day of the symposium concluded with discussions on best practices for OGM implementation and future research directions in cytogenomics and molecular pathology [12] - Bionano's leadership highlighted the transformative role of OGM in advancing cytogenomics and molecular pathology, reinforcing the community's commitment to innovation [15][17]