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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,...
Institutional Biosafety Committee
This page is part of our commitment to transparency and compliance with the NIH’s strengthened Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) guidelines. It provides public access to IBC meeting minutes and membership rosters, as required under the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant or Synthetic Nucleic Acid Molecules. These measures are designed to promote accountability and public trust in biosafety oversight. For more information, visit the NIH's Biosafety and Biosecurity Policy...
World-Renowned J. Craig Venter Institute’s New Home will be IQHQ’s Research and Development District (RaDD)
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IQHQ, Inc., a premier owner and developer of world-class life science districts, announced today that the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), a leader in genomics research since 1992, will relocate its West Coast operations, currently located on the University of California San Diego (UC San Diego) campus, to IQHQ’s Research and Development District. JCVI will expand its footprint to approximately 50,000 square feet in RaDD’s lab and office space on San...