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J. Craig Venter dies at 79

scienceApr 30, 20268202

J. Craig Venter died at 79, the J. Craig Venter Institute announced from La Jolla, California on April 29, 2026. Venter led Celera Genomics, which in 2000 jointly announced that it had assembled the first human genomes alongside the public Human Genome Project, and he popularized whole-genome shotgun sequencing and personal genomics. In 2010 Venter's team created the first self-replicating synthetic bacterial cell, and he later drove environmental metagenomics and founded Diploid Genomics to commercialize sequencing. His work accelerated genetic research, launched synthetic biology and personalized medicine industries, and changed how scientists study ecology, disease, and evolution.

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