Sveti Duh hospital introduces advanced genome sequencing technology

(Photo: Clinical Hospital Sveti Duh)

ZAGREB, 26 February 2026 – Clinical Hospital Sveti Duh has introduced advanced Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology for genome sequencing, the hospital said today.

The implementation of NGS enables faster and significantly more precise genetic analysis.

As part of this advancement, a unique gene panel has been developed for patients with neurodevelopmental disorders and epilepsy, in collaboration with neuropediatricians and medical geneticists.

The panel allows for the simultaneous analysis of 374 genes and 96 non-coding regions, including the detection of deletions and duplications.

For patients in Croatia, this means access to world-class diagnostics without the need to send samples abroad, reducing waiting times and uncertainty.

Croatia’s Minister of Health, Irena Hrstić, described the introduction of NGS technology at Sveti Duh as an important step forward for the national healthcare system and a strong move towards personalised medicine.

“This investment is not only technological progress, but an investment in a safer future for our patients and a stronger Croatian healthcare system,” she said, praising the hospital’s expert team for delivering faster, more accurate and accessible genetic diagnostics.

For patients and their families, the benefits are substantial. Shorter diagnostic pathways mean reduced uncertainty and earlier access to targeted therapy and rehabilitation. Precise genetic analysis also allows for an individualised treatment approach and improved genetic counselling.

This is particularly significant given the prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorders, ADHD and learning difficulties, which affect more than one in 100 children.

In addition, the hospital has introduced an NGS panel for the most common types of foetal malformations, including foetal hydrops, aimed at diagnosing targeted genetic disorders in both prenatal and postnatal periods.

With this step, Clinical Hospital Sveti Duh has become the only healthcare institution in Croatia currently implementing NGS technology in prenatal diagnostics.

Hospital director Edvard Galić emphasised that the introduction of NGS forms part of the hospital’s strategic commitment to continuously improving healthcare quality.

“The application of new technologies enables earlier diagnosis, more precise therapeutic decisions and better long-term treatment outcomes,” Galić said, adding that the investment represents a commitment to more precise medicine and a safer future for patients.

Professor Feodora Stipoljev, Head of the Department of Laboratory Cytogenetics at the Clinic of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, underlined the crucial role of genetic testing in establishing final diagnoses and advising families.

Clinical Hospital Sveti Duh is also the only institution in Croatia performing Sanger sequencing for various types of hereditary disorders for the purpose of targeted family mutation testing.

“To date, we have analysed more than 1,000 patients and identified around 800 different mutations, demonstrating just how important and necessary this form of diagnostics is,” Stipoljev said.