9 Presentations Kick Off Day 1 of the Bionano Symposium 2026 Covering Advances in Optical Genome Mapping for Hematologic Malignancies
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bionano Genomics, Inc. (NASDAQ:BNGO) today announced highlights from Day 1 of the Bionano Symposium 2026 entitled Advancements in Hematologic Malignancies with Optical Genome Mapping (OGM). Hematologic malignancies are cancers of the blood and lymph systems. Today's virtual session brought together global experts and key opinion leaders who shared new data demonstrating how OGM is reshaping cytogenetic and molecular workflows by detecting critical structural variants and accelerating the precision and depth of genomic analysis of leukemias, lymphomas, and multiple myeloma. There are more than 1000 registered attendees from 70 countries across 6 continents for Symposium 2026, making it the single largest event dedicated to OGM and Bionano solutions during the 2026 conference calendar.
9 presenters from leading academic medical and cancer centers across Europe and the U.S., including Alka Chaubey, Ph.D., FACMG, Bionano's chief medical officer showcased how OGM works and how it can deliver enhanced resolution, sensitivity, and comprehensive structural variant detection for clinical research compared with traditional cytogenetic and molecular techniques, including karyotyping (KT), fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH), and next-generation sequencing (NGS). They reported high concordance between OGM and traditional cytogenetics methods while emphasizing OGM's ability to resolve complex rearrangements, identify novel driver events, and rescue cases with failed conventional cytogenetics. Speakers underscored the growing role of OGM as an integrated component of modern hematologic malignancy research, often in combination with next generation sequencing (NGS) and analysis in VIATM software, Bionano's solution for integrated visualization, interpretation, and reporting of genomic variants.
Among key presentations on the day, Dr. Chaubey kicked off the content by outlining how OGM works and presenting recent technological advancements for the OGM workflow. Her talk presented many publications that suggest an expanding role of OGM in hematologic malignancy research and cytogenomics as part of a transformation of pathology workflows from analog legacy methods to more up-to-date digital workflows.
Dr. Ravindra Kolhe (Augusta University) presented comparative hematologic malignancy workflows in molecular pathology and cytogenetics where OGM was compared to traditional cytogenetic methods like KT, FISH and a 523-gene NGS panel. Dr. Kolhe highlighted the integration of OGM and NGS within VIA for comprehensive cancer genomics analysis. His presentation illustrated how combining sequence- and structure variant-based technologies can enable deeper insight into complex genomic events.
Dr. Wahab A. Khan (Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center) presented exploratory genomic profiling in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), demonstrating how OGM can quickly and more accurately uncover cryptic, complex, and pathogenic SVs or rearrangements not detected by standard cytogenetic methods.
Amber Verhasselt (KU Leuven) showed how OGM can identify pathogenic aberrations in non-Hodgkin lymphoma across multiple challenging specimen types while revealing additional biologically relevant findings beyond conventional workflows.
Dr. Gokce A. Toruner (The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center) shared comparative data between targeted RNA sequencing and OGM for detecting pathogenic gene rearrangements, demonstrating the complementary strengths of both technologies.
Dr. Elly De Vlieghere (AZ Sint-Jan Brugge) demonstrated how OGM can replace multiple traditional assays for molecular cytogenetic analysis in multiple myeloma (MM), a challenging plasma cell neoplasm, by employing a modified workflow for OGM to yield more answers.
Dr Rashmi Kanagal Shamanna (The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center) showcased the expert recommendations from the International Consortium of OGM (ICOGM; www.icogm.org) regarding the use of OGM in several subtypes of heme malignancies in research applications.
In addition to the more common hematologic malignancies, presentations from Klaudia Starosz (Medical University of Lodz) and Anna Maria Puiggros (Hospital del Mar) also covered particularly challenging subtypes and variant classes, including:
- pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia
- chromoanagenesis in CLL
The session concluded with a live panel discussion and Q&A session with speakers and moderated by Bionano's Dr. Chaubey, Dr. Andy O'Shaughnessy, Dr. Dana Jaber, and Cami Asher. Panelists discussed best practices for implementation, validation strategies, and the future role OGM may play in routine hematologic malignancy research.
"We are so inspired by the quality and breadth of research shared by the global OGM community during Day 1 of Symposium 2026," said Dr. Chaubey. "Collectively, Day 1 presentations reinforced the potential of OGM as a powerful tool for comprehensive cytogenomic analysis in hematologic malignancies, offering improved detection of structural variants, enhanced interpretation of complex rearrangements, and new unbiased insights into disease biology and oncology research. It's amazing to see how OGM and VIA software are being successfully implemented across diverse laboratory settings around the world to transform landscape in cytogenetics and molecular pathology."
"What impresses me most about today's talks is how far the community has come with application of OGM to hematologic malignancies," said Erik Holmlin, president and chief executive officer of Bionano. "These findings show that OGM can play a key role in unraveling the complexity of large genomic rearrangements and revealing previously undetected variants, while VIA software makes it possible to integrate OGM and NGS data in a single view to help guide a deeper understanding of disease. Our mission is to transform how the world sees the genome, and we can see this transformation unfolding right here at Symposium 2026."
Session recordings will be available on-demand via the Bionano YouTube channel. The live panel discussion and Q&A session will not be available on demand.
Bionano Symposium 2026 continues with Day 2: New Frontiers in Oncology and Bioprocessing Applications on February 24, 2026, from 7:00-10:00 AM PT. Attendees may also explore scientific posters available throughout the event on the virtual platform.
Don't miss the Bionano Symposium 2026, register now! Symposium registration is open to all and there is no charge for attending this event. To register, visit:
www.bionano.com/symposium-2026
About Bionano Genomics
Bionano is a provider of genome analysis solutions that can enable researchers and clinicians to reveal answers to challenging questions in biology and medicine. The Company's mission is to transform the way the world sees the genome through optical genome mapping (OGM) solutions, diagnostic services and software. The Company offers OGM solutions for applications across basic, translational and clinical research. The Company also offers an industry-leading, platform-agnostic genome analysis software solution, and nucleic acid extraction and purification solutions using proprietary isotachophoresis (ITP) technology. Through its Lineagen, Inc. d/b/a Bionano Laboratories business, the Company also offers OGM-based diagnostic testing services.
For more information, visit www.bionano.com or www.bionanolaboratories.com.
Bionano's products are for research use only and not for use in diagnostic procedures.
Forward-Looking Statements of Bionano Genomics
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, including statements regarding our future results of operations or financial condition, business strategy and plans, and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "can," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "target," "will," or "would" and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances) convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes and are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses or current expectations concerning, among other things; the ability and utility of OGM to deliver enhanced resolution, sensitivity, and comprehensive structural variant detection compared with traditional cytogenetic and molecular techniques, including KT, FISH, and NGS; the ability and utility of OGM to deliver high concordance with traditional cytogenetics methods; the ability and utility of OGM to resolve complex rearrangements, identify novel driver events, and rescue cases with failed conventional cytogenetics; the ability and utility of OGM when paired with sequencing to provide deeper insights into complex genomic events; the ability and utility of OGM to play a role in expanding hematologic malignancy research and cytogenomics as part of a transformation of pathology workflows from analog legacy methods to more up-to-date digital workflows; the ability and utility of OGM in uncovering cryptic and complex rearrangements not detected by standard cytogenetic methods; the ability and utility of OGM in identifying pathogenic aberrations in non-Hodgkin lymphoma across multiple challenging specimen types while revealing additional biologically relevant findings beyond conventional workflows; the potential of OGM as a powerful tool for comprehensive cytogenomic analysis in hematologic malignancies, offering improved detection of structural variants, enhanced interpretation of complex rearrangements, and new unbiased insights into disease biology and oncology research; continued research, presentations and publications involving OGM, its utility compared to traditional cytogenetics and our technologies; and our ability to drive adoption of OGM and our technology solutions and any other statements that are not of historical fact. Each of these forward-looking statements involves risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, investors and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as they involve inherent risk and uncertainty (both general and specific) and should note that they are provided as a general guide only and should not be relied on as an indication or guarantee of future performance. Actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected or implied in these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such a difference include the risks and uncertainties associated with: the failure of OGM to deliver enhanced resolution, sensitivity, and comprehensive structural variant detection compared with traditional cytogenetic and molecular techniques, including KT, FISH, and NGS; the failure of OGM to deliver high concordance with traditional cytogenetics methods; failure of OGM to resolve complex rearrangements, identify novel driver events, and rescue cases with failed conventional cytogenetics; the failure of OGM when paired with sequencing to provide deeper insights into complex genomic events; the failure of OGM to play a role in expanding hematologic malignancy research and cytogenomics as part of a transformation of pathology workflows from analog legacy methods to more up-to-date digital workflows; the failure of OGM to uncover cryptic and complex rearrangements not detected by standard cytogenetic methods; the failure OGM to identifying pathogenic aberrations in non-Hodgkin lymphoma across multiple challenging specimen types while revealing additional biologically relevant findings beyond conventional workflows; the failure of OGM to become a powerful tool for comprehensive cytogenomic analysis in hematologic malignancies, offering improved detection of structural variants, enhanced interpretation of complex rearrangements, and new unbiased insights into disease biology and oncology research our ability to obtain sufficient financing to fund our strategic plans and commercialization efforts and our ability to continue as a "going concern," which requires us to manage costs and obtain significant additional financing to fund our strategic plans and commercialization efforts; the risk that if we fail to obtain additional financing we may seek relief under applicable insolvency laws; the impact of adverse geopolitical and macroeconomic events and uncertain market conditions, including inflation, tariffs, and supply chain disruptions, on our business and the global economy; general market conditions; changes in the competitive landscape and the introduction of competitive technologies or improvements to existing technologies; changes in our strategic and commercial plans; the ability of medical and research institutions to obtain funding to support adoption or continued use of our technologies; study results that differ or contradict the results mentioned in this press release and at Day 1 of Symposium 2026; and the risks and uncertainties associated with our business and financial condition in general, including the risks and uncertainties including those described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including, without limitation, our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in other filings subsequently made by us with the SEC. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made and are based on management's assumptions and estimates as of such date. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of the receipt of new information, the occurrence of future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.
CONTACTS
Company Contact:
Erik Holmlin, CEO
Bionano Genomics, Inc.
+1 (858) 888-7610
[email protected]
Investor Relations:
Kelly Gura
Gilmartin Group
+1 (212) 229-6163
[email protected]
