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Remembering Hamilton O. Smith
Hamilton O. Smith August 31, 1931 – October 25, 2025 It is with profound sorrow that we announce the loss of Hamilton O. Smith, M.D., a scientific giant, compassionate mentor, and beloved by all who had the honor of knowing him. Ham was humble, gentle, and brilliant. He died peacefully at home in Ellicott City, Maryland on October 25, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of groundbreaking contributions to science, and a life rich in love, discovery, and service. Ham had a large and active family...
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The passing of Clyde A. Hutchison, III
Clyde A. Hutchison, III November 26, 1938 – September 27, 2025 It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Clyde A. Hutchison, III, J. Craig Venter Institute distinguished professor Emeritus. He died this past Saturday peacefully at home with his wife Phifer and son Edward in La Jolla, California. He was 86. Friend and colleague John Glass, JCVI professor and La Jolla campus director, memorialized Clyde’s remarkable life and career in the following note to JCVI...
4th Minimal Cell Workshop
View complete playlist for the workshop on YouTube. Day 1 — September 23, 2024 Time PDT Video Title Presenter Organization PI 5:00 AM Introduction John Glass (jglass@jcvi.org) J. Craig Venter Institute 5:15 AM Acholeplasma laidlawii as a New Platform for Creating Synthetic Cells × Daniel...
Unveiling the secrets of an adaptable, ubiquitous ocean algae
La Jolla, California—September 30, 2025—Phaeocystales, a group of bloom-forming marine algae, are gaining attention for their remarkable ecological roles and global reach. Found in every ocean—from the icy Southern Ocean to temperate and tropical waters—these nanoplankton may live in colonies or drift alone. When blooms form, they can aggregate into massive mats visible from space, covering hundreds of square miles, leading to both helpful and harmful effects. Led by Andrew Allen,...
Science History Institute Acquires Molecular Biology Archive That Includes Rosalind Franklin’s Historic ‘Photo 51’
DNA X-ray Diffraction Image Known as Photo 51 (left) with handwritten annotations by Rosalind Franklin and Aaron Klug on the back (right), ca. 1953. Image: Science History Institute. The Science History Institute is pleased to announce the acquisition of the History of Molecular Biology Collection from the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI). Considered one of the most significant scientific archives ever compiled, it includes the papers of Nobel laureates Aaron Klug and Max...
SynBYSS 2024
This is a past event. Current conference details may be found here. The 1st International SynBYSS Conference will unite in-person a previously online-only group of speakers and audiences, with an explicit goal to invest in the young, diverse, and international future of synthetic biology. As early-career synthetic biology researchers begin their own research, there are few conferences that provide an opportunity for them to express their ideas, network effectively, or collaborate widely....
Reading the blueprint of life
Thirty years ago, new thinking and computational advances enabled DNA sequencing firsts, including the human genome “Moving forward in science is as much unwinding the distorted thinking of the past as it is putting a clearer idea on the table.” —J. Craig Venter (interview with Richard Dawkins) Thirty years ago, a typical home computer CPU had around 3 million transistors. Today, a high-end consumer processor has around 184 billion, a staggering 60,000x increase. While this...
New study reveals how deep ocean currents shape microbial life across the South Pacific
La Jolla, California—July 10, 2025—A groundbreaking study, published in the journal Science, has unveiled how deep ocean currents—known as global overturning circulation—play a pivotal role in shaping the diversity and function of microbial life across the South Pacific Ocean. This research, led by scientists from J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego, and University of California Berkeley offers the...
Meeting Proceedings from 4th Minimal Cell Workshop: Exploring JCVI Minimal Cell Fundamental Insights and Integrative Applications.
The annual Minimal Cell Workshop, hosted by the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), is an international virtual seminar that brings together over 80 academic, industrial, and government laboratories. Researchers use the JCVI's minimal bacterial cell platform to explore the principles of cellular life and integrate new chemical pathways. Since its creation in 2016, this platform has fostered global collaborations. The fourth workshop featured 26 talks on ongoing research with minimal cell strains,...