Human Genome Project Completion

Genetics & Genomics 2003 Featured

Discoverers: Francis Collins, Craig Venter

Overview

The full sequencing of the approximately 3 billion base pairs of the human genome, identifying around 20,500 protein-coding genes.

Significance

Provided a reference map of the entire human genetic blueprint, transforming biomedical research, diagnostics, and personalised medicine.

Methodology

Combination of hierarchical shotgun sequencing by the public consortium and whole-genome shotgun sequencing by Celera Genomics, with computational assembly.

Impact