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About J. Craig Venter Institute
Pioneering Environmental Sustainability to Positively Impact Life The J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) is a world leader in synthetic biology research with 160 scientists and staff who are bold innovators fearlessly pursuing revolutionary ideas. With a long track-record of creativity and an interdisciplinary approach to genomics, JCVI is committed to accelerating foundational scientific research to drive advances in environmental sustainability. Now more than ever our environment is at...
New Study Explores Unique Ways Diatoms Metabolize Nitrogen, Enabling Them to Thrive in Dynamic Environments
(La Jolla, California)—October 7, 2019—A team led by scientists from the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the Systems Biology Research Group in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of California San Diego has discovered that diatoms, a diverse type of photosynthetic microalgae, are unique in almost every aspect of nitrogen metabolism when compared to other eukaryotic organisms. Since diatoms are crucial for the health of...
About J. Craig Venter Institute
Pioneering Genomics to Positively Impact Life The J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) is a world leader in genomic research with 160 scientists and staff who are bold innovators fearlessly pursuing revolutionary ideas. With a long track-record of creativity and an interdisciplinary approach to genomics, JCVI is committed to accelerating foundational scientific research to drive advances in human health and environmental sustainability. HumanHealth Leveraging...
LJI Scientists Identify Potential Targets for Immune Responses to Novel Coronavirus
LA JOLLA, CA—Within two months, SARS-CoV-2, a previously unknown coronavirus, has raced around globe, infecting over a 100,000 people with numbers continuing to rise quickly. Effective countermeasures require helpful tools to monitor viral spread and understand how the immune system responds to the virus. Publishing in the March 16, 2020, online issue of Host, Cell and Microbe, a team of researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology, in collaboration with researchers at the J....
Presence of Staph Bacteria in Skin Microbiome Promotes Netherton Syndrome Inflammation
Netherton syndrome, a rare skin disease caused by a single genetic mutation, is exacerbated by the presence of two common Staphylococcal bacteria living on human skin, one of which was previously thought to only offer protective properties, report University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers. “Our study shows how closely tied the human genome is to the genetic information in our skin microbiome. This rare disease is due to a mutation in a human gene....
Emory School of Nursing faculty member receives research grant from The ALS Association
School of Nursing professor Vicki Hertzberg, PhD, FASA has received a three-year grant from The ALS Association to fund a study focusing on microbes in ALS patients. The study examines a small cohort of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients with their partner or caregiver as controls with respect to the microbes comprising their gut and oral microbiota, with baseline evaluation within six months of ALS diagnosis and again at three months and again at six months. The...
Bacteria on the International Space Station no more dangerous than earthbound strains
Two particularly tenacious species of bacteria have colonized the potable water dispenser aboard the International Space Station (ISS), but a new study suggests that they are no more dangerous than closely related strains on Earth. Aubrie O'Rourke of the J. Craig Venter Institute and colleagues report these findings in a new paper published February 19, 2020 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE. Shortly after the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) installed the...
Characterization of Bacteria from the International Space Station Drinking Water
From a microbiology perspective, the International Space Station (ISS) is interesting considering its microgravity, increased radiation, low humidity and elevated carbon dioxide levels. Because of its isolation, and unique environment, it is vital to study the microorganisms that thrive there to ensure the safety of the astronauts aboard. We refer to the collection of microbes in an environment a microbiome. Understanding the microbiome of the ISS is vital to astronaut health and long term...
Media
The J. Craig Venter Institute Marketing and Communications Department collaborates with local, national and international partners. We are happy to assist with developing stories, scheduling interviews and liaising with our scientists to provide the most up to date information about their research and discoveries. For media inquiries, please email press@jcvi.org.
Scientists Identify Genome-Wide Traits Associated with Microbial Growth Strategy and Ecosystem Nutrient Status
(La Jolla, California)—February 18, 2020—Scientists from the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), Arizona State University (ASU), Flathead Lake Biological Station, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico published results in the journal eLife, identifying key genomic traits indicative of an ecosystem’s nutrient status with respect to nitrogen and phosphorus, key ingredients in fertilizer. The study, focused on a...