J. Craig Venter

One of leading scientists of the 21st century and recognized for his visionary contributions in genomic research

J. Craig Venter, Ph.D., is one of leading scientists of the 21st century for his visionary contributions in genomic research. He is founder and president of the J. Craig Venter Institute and the J. Craig Venter Science Foundation.

The Venter Institute conducts basic research that advances the science of genomics; specializes in high volume genome sequencing, and explores the ethical and policy implications of genomic discoveries and advances. The J. Craig Venter Science Foundation supports both the Venter Institute and The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR), an affiliated research organization led by Claire M. Fraser, Ph.D. Venter founded TIGR in 1992.

Education and Academic Affiliations

Venter earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in biochemistry and a Ph.D. in Physiology and Pharmacology, both from the University of California at San Diego. He was a professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, before moving to the National Institutes of Health.

Key Accomplishments

• While on faculty at the National Institutes of Health, Venter developed expressed sequence tags or EST’s, a revolutionary new strategy for discovering genes.
• In 1992, he founded The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR). There, he and his team decoded the genome of the first free-living organism, the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae, pioneering the new whole genome shotgun technique.
• In 1998, Venter became the first president of Celera Genomics where he sequenced the human genome using the whole genome shotgun technique, new mathematical algorithms, and new automated DNA sequencing machines.
• The completed sequence of the human genome was published in February 2001 in the journal, Science. In addition to the human genome, Venter and his team at Celera sequenced the fruit fly, mouse, and rat genomes
• In 2003, Venter launched a global expedition to obtain and study microbes from environments ranging from the world’s oceans to urban centers. This mission, now in progress, is yielding insights into genes that make up the vast realm of microbial life.

Research Interests

Research at the Venter Institute reflects Venter’s interests in advancing the science of genomics and in applying genomic advances to some of the world’s most vexing public health and environmental challenges. Major research foci include human genomic medicine, environmental and evolutionary genomics (which includes the Venter Institute Global Sampling Mission), biological energy production, synthetic biology, and the intersection between genomics and environmental and energy policy.

Publications and Honors

Venter is the author of more than 200 research articles. He has recently published several papers on his scientific findings. The characterization of the genes from the Sargasso Sea appeared in the journal Science in March 2004. In December, 2003, Venter and colleagues published their research on a synthetic genome known as synthetic phiX 174. That paper appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

In addition, Venter has received numerous honorary degrees and scientific awards including the 2002 Gairdner Foundation International Award and the 2001 Paul Ehrlich Award and the Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize. He is a member of numerous prestigious scientific organizations including the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Craig Venter's autobiography A Life Decoded was published in October of 2007