Editing Craig Venter (section)

==Career==
After working as an [[associate professor]], and later as full professor, at the [[University at Buffalo, The State University of New York|State University of New York at Buffalo]], he joined the [[National Institutes of Health]] in 1984.

===EST controversy===
While an employee of the [[National Institutes of Health|NIH]], Venter learned how to identify [[Messenger RNA|mRNA]] and began to learn more about those expressed in the human brain. The short [[Complementary DNA|cDNA]] sequence fragments Venter discovered by automated [[DNA sequencing]], he named [[expressed sequence tag]]s, or ESTs. The [[NIH Office of Technology Transfer]] decided to file a patent on the ESTs discovered by Venter, [[Biological patents in the United States|patenting the genes]] identified based on studies of [[Messenger RNA|mRNA]] expression in the human brain. When Venter disclosed the NIH strategy during a Congressional hearing, a firestorm of controversy erupted.<ref>{{cite journal | last = Roberts | first = Leslie | s2cid = 32742062 | date = October 11, 1991 | title = Genome patent fight erupts: an NIH plan to patent thousands of random DNA sequences will discourage industrial investment and undercut the Genome Project itself, the plan's critics charge | journal = [[Science (journal)|Science]] | volume = 254 | issue = 5029 | pages = 184–186 | doi = 10.1126/science.1925568| pmid = 1925568 |bibcode = 1991Sci...254..184R }}</ref> The NIH later stopped the effort and abandoned the patent applications it had filed, following public outcry.<ref>{{Cite journal | date = 2006 | journal = [[Harvard Law Review]] | volume = 119 | title = Patent Law – Utility – Federal Circuit holds that expressed sequence tags lack substantial and specific utility unless underlying gene function is identified. ''In re Fisher'', 421 F.3d 1365 (Fed. Cir. 2005) | issue = 8 | pages = 2604–2611 | url = http://www.harvardlawreview.org/issues/119/june06/recent_cases/in_re_fisher.pdf | access-date = November 17, 2008 | archive-date = March 25, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090325142418/http://www.harvardlawreview.org/issues/119/june06/recent_cases/in_re_fisher.pdf | url-status = dead }}</ref>

===Human Genome Project===
{{main|Human Genome Project}}
Venter was passionate about the power of genomics to transform healthcare radically. Venter believed that [[shotgun sequencing]] was the fastest and most effective way to get useful human genome data.<ref name="Weber-1997">{{Cite journal  | last1 = Weber | first1 = James L.  | last2 = Myers | first2 = Eugene W.  | date = 1997 | journal = [[Genome Research]] | volume = 7 | issue = 5 | title = Human Whole-Genome Shotgun Sequencing | pages = 401–409 | doi = 10.1101/gr.7.5.401  | pmid=9149936
| citeseerx = 10.1.1.117.8090}}</ref> The method was rejected by the Human Genome Project however, since some geneticists felt it would not be accurate enough for a genome as complicated as that of humans, that it would be logistically more difficult, and that it would cost significantly more.<ref>Gannett, Lisa, [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/human-genome/ The Human Genome Project Entry in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy] (Fall 2010 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.)</ref><ref name="Green-1997">{{Cite journal  | last = Green | first   =Philip | date = 1997 | journal = Genome Research | volume = 7 | issue = 5 | title = Against a Whole-Genome Shotgun | pages = 410–417 | doi = 10.1101/gr.7.5.410 | pmid = 9149937  | doi-access = free }}</ref>

Venter viewed the slow pace of progress in the Human Genome project as an opportunity to continue his interest in trying his shotgun sequencing method to speed up the human genome sequencing so when he was offered funding from a DNA sequencing company to start [[Celera Genomics]].<ref>{{cite book| author = Victor K. McElheny| title = Drawing the Map of Life: Inside the Human Genome Project| date = 2010| publisher = Basic Books (AZ)| isbn = 978-0-465-04333-0| url-access = registration| url = https://archive.org/details/drawingmapoflife0000mcel}}</ref> The company planned to profit from their work by creating genomic data to which users could subscribe for a fee. The goal consequently put pressure on the public genome program and spurred several groups to redouble their efforts to produce the full sequence. Venter's effort won him renown as he and his team at [[Celera Corporation]] shared credit for sequencing the first draft human genome with the publicly funded [[Human Genome Project]].<ref name="Singer-2007">{{cite news |first=Emily |last=Singer |url=http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/19328/?a=f |title=Craig Venter's Genome |newspaper=[[MIT Technology Review]] |date=September 4, 2007 |access-date=October 12, 2014 |quote=The genome we published at Celera was a composite of five people.&nbsp;... After leaving Celera in 2002, Venter announced that much of the genome that had been sequenced there was his own. |archive-date=June 7, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607104347/http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/19328/?a=f |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2000, Venter and [[Francis Collins (geneticist)|Francis Collins]] of the [[National Institutes of Health]] and U.S. Public Genome Project jointly made the announcement of the mapping of the human genome, a full three years ahead of the expected end of the Public Genome Program. The announcement was made along with U.S. President [[Bill Clinton]], and UK Prime Minister [[Tony Blair]].<ref name="Shreeve-2005">{{cite news |first=Jamie |last=Shreeve |url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/051031/31genome.htm |title=The Blueprint of Life |newspaper=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |date=October 31, 2005 |access-date=January 30, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502000233/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/051031/31genome.htm |archive-date=May 2, 2012 }}</ref> Venter and Collins thus shared an award for "Biography of the Year" from [[A&E Network]].<ref name="Montgomery County, Maryland Government-2000">"{{cite press release |url=http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mc/news/press/00-463.html |title=Time Magazine Dubs Montgomery County "DNA Alley" |publisher=[[Montgomery County, Maryland|Montgomery County, Maryland Government]] |date=December 19, 2000 |access-date=January 30, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061013151412/http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mc/news/press/00-463.html |archive-date=October 13, 2006 }}</ref>
On February 15, 2001, the Human Genome Project consortium published the first Human Genome in the journal ''[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]'', followed one day later by a Celera publication in ''[[Science (journal)|Science]]''.<ref name="Venter-2001">{{Cite journal | last1 = Venter | first1 = J. C. | author-link1 = Craig Venter| last2 = Adams | first2 = M. | last3 = Myers | first3 = E. | last4 = Li | first4 = P. | last5 = Mural | first5 = R. | last6 = Sutton | first6 = G. | last7 = Smith | first7 = H. | last8 = Yandell | first8 = M. | last9 = Evans | first9 = C. | last10 = Holt | first10 = R. A. | last11 = Gocayne | first11 = J. D. | last12 = Amanatides | first12 = P. | last13 = Ballew | first13 = R. M. | last14 = Huson | first14 = D. H. | last15 = Wortman | first15 = J. R. | last16 = Zhang | first16 = Q. | last17 = Kodira | first17 = C. D. | last18 = Zheng | first18 = X. H. | last19 = Chen | first19 = L. | last20 = Skupski | first20 = M. | last21 = Subramanian | first21 = G. | last22 = Thomas | first22 = P. D. | last23 = Zhang | first23 = J. | last24 = Gabor Miklos | first24 = G. L. | last25 = Nelson | first25 = C. | last26 = Broder | first26 = S. | last27 = Clark | first27 = A. G. | last28 = Nadeau | first28 = J. | last29 = McKusick | first29 = V. A. | last30 = Zinder | first30 = N. | title = The Sequence of the Human Genome | doi = 10.1126/science.1058040 | journal = Science | volume = 291 | issue = 5507 | pages = 1304–1351 | year = 2001 | pmid   =11181995| bibcode = 2001Sci...291.1304V | display-authors = 29 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name="Lander-2001">{{Cite journal | first1 = E. S.| last1 = Lander| author-link1 = Eric Lander| last2 = Linton | first2 = M. | last3 = Birren | first3 = B. | last4 = Nusbaum | first4 = C. | last5 = Zody | first5 = C.| last6 = Baldwin | first6 = J. | last7 = Devon | first7 = K. | last8 = Dewar | first8 = K. | last9 = Doyle | first9 = M. | last10 = Fitzhugh | first10 = W. | last11 = Funke | first11 = R. | last12 = Gage | first12 = D. | last13 = Harris | first13 = K. | last14 = Heaford | first14 = A. | last15 = Howland | first15 = J. | last16 = Kann | first16 = L. | last17 = Lehoczky | first17 = J. | last18 = Levine | first18 = R. | last19 = McEwan | first19 = P. | last20 = McKernan | first20 = K. | last21 = Meldrim | first21 = J. | last22 = Mesirov | first22 = J. P. | last23 = Miranda | first23 = C. | last24 = Morris | first24 = W. | last25 = Naylor | first25 = J. | last26 = Raymond | first26 = C. | last27 = Rosetti | first27 = M. | last28 = Santos | first28 = R. | last29 = Sheridan | first29 = A. | last30 = Sougnez | first30 = C. | display-authors = 29| title = Initial sequencing and analysis of the human genome | journal = Nature | volume = 409 | issue = 6822 | pages = 860–921 | date =Feb 2001  | issn = 0028-0836 | pmid = 11237011 | doi = 10.1038/35057062|bibcode = 2001Natur.409..860L | url = https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/62798/1/409860a0.pdf | doi-access = free }}</ref> Despite some claims that [[shotgun sequencing]] was in some ways less accurate than the clone-by-clone method chosen by the Human Genome Project,<ref name="Olson-2002">{{Cite journal  | last = Olson | first = M.V. | date = 2002
 | title = The Human Genome Project: A Player's Perspective | journal = Journal of Molecular Biology | volume = 319 | issue = 4 | pages = 931–942 | doi = 10.1016/S0022-2836(02)00333-9 | pmid = 12079320 | citeseerx = 10.1.1.624.505 }}</ref> the technique became widely accepted by the scientific community.

Venter was fired by Celera in early 2002.<ref>{{cite news |first=Antonio |last=Regalo |title=Maverick biologist at work on next goal: creating life |newspaper=[[Seattle Times]] |date=July 24, 2005}}</ref> According to his biography, Venter was fired because of a conflict with the main investor, Tony White, specifically barring him from attending the White House ceremony celebrating the achievement of sequencing the human genome.

===Global Ocean Sampling Expedition===
The [[Global Ocean Sampling Expedition]] (GOS) is an [[ocean exploration]] [[genome project]] with the goal of assessing the [[genetic diversity]] in [[Marine (ocean)|marine]] [[microbial communities]] and to understand their role in nature's fundamental processes. Begun as a Sargasso Sea pilot sampling project in August 2003, the full Expedition was announced by Venter on March 4, 2004. The project, which used Venter's personal yacht, ''Sorcerer II'', started in Halifax, Canada, circumnavigated the globe and returned to the U.S. in January 2006.<ref name="Larkman, Kirell-2007">{{cite news |title=Yacht for Sale: Suited for Sailing, Surfing, and Seaborne Metagenomics |work=GenomeWeb.com |publisher=GenomeWeb News|author=Larkman, Kirell |date=September 7, 2007 }}</ref>

===Synthetic Genomics===
[[Image:J. Craig Vernter Institute Rockville Maryland.jpg|right|thumb|J.&nbsp;Craig Venter Institute, Rockville, Maryland, location]]
In June 2005, Venter co-founded [[Synthetic Genomics]], a firm dedicated to using modified [[microorganisms]] to produce [[clean fuels]] and biochemicals. In July 2009, [[ExxonMobil]] announced a $600 million collaboration with Synthetic Genomics to research and develop next-generation [[biofuel]]s.<ref name="Howell-2009">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/07/14/14greenwire-exxon-sinks-600m-into-algae-based-biofuels-in-33562.html |title=Exxon Sinks $600M Into Algae-Based Biofuels in Major Strategy Shift|website=The New York Times|date=July 14, 2009 | first=Katie | last=Howell}}</ref> 
Venter continues to work on the creation of engineered diatomic microalgae for the production of biofuels.<ref name="Ball-2016">{{cite journal|last1=Ball|first1=Philip|title=Man Made: A History of Synthetic Life|journal=Distillations|date=2016|volume=2|issue=1|pages=15–23|url=https://www.sciencehistory.org/distillations/magazine/man-made-a-history-of-synthetic-life|access-date=February 21, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Karas-2015">{{cite journal|last1=Karas|first1=Bogumil J.|last2=Diner|first2=Rachel E.|last3=Lefebvre|first3=Stephane C.|last4=McQuaid|first4=Jeff|last5=Phillips|first5=Alex P.R.|last6=Noddings|first6=Chari M.|last7=Brunson|first7=John K.|last8=Valas|first8=Ruben E.|last9=Deerinck|first9=Thomas J.|last10=Jablanovic|first10=Jelena|last11=Gillard|first11=Jeroen T.F.|last12=Beeri|first12=Karen|last13=Ellisman|first13=Mark H.|last14=Glass|first14=John I.|last15=Hutchison III|first15=Clyde A.|last16=Smith|first16=Hamilton O.|last17=Venter|first17=J. Craig|last18=Allen|first18=Andrew E.|last19=Dupont|first19=Christopher L.|last20=Weyman|first20=Philip D.|title=Designer diatom episomes delivered by bacterial conjugation|journal=Nature Communications|date=April 21, 2015|volume=6|pages=6925|doi=10.1038/ncomms7925|pmid=25897682|pmc=4411287|bibcode=2015NatCo...6.6925K}}</ref><ref name="J. Craig Venter Institute-2015">{{cite news|title=Scientists at the J. Craig Venter Institute Publish Paper Outlining Efficient Synthetic Biology Methods to Genetically Engineer Microalgae|url=http://www.jcvi.org/cms/press/press-releases/full-text/article/scientists-at-the-j-craig-venter-institute-publish-paper-outlining-efficient-synthetic-biology-meth/|access-date=February 1, 2017|work=J. Craig Venter Institute|date=April 21, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223041553/http://www.jcvi.org/cms/press/press-releases/full-text/article/scientists-at-the-j-craig-venter-institute-publish-paper-outlining-efficient-synthetic-biology-meth/|archive-date=February 23, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Venter is seeking to patent the first partially synthetic species possibly to be named ''[[Mycoplasma laboratorium]]''.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05180/530330.stm | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | title=Biologist Venter aims to create life from scratch | first=Antonio | last=Regalado | date=June 29, 2005}}</ref> There is speculation that this line of research could lead to producing bacteria that have been engineered to perform specific reactions, for example, produce [[fuels]], make medicines, combat [[global warming]], and so on.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1553919/Man-made-microbe-to-create-endless-biofuel.html | work=The Daily Telegraph | location=London | title=Man-made microbe 'to create endless biofuel' | first=Roger | last=Highfield | date=June 8, 2007 | access-date=April 30, 2010}}</ref>

In May 2010, a team of scientists led by Venter became the first to create successfully what was described as "[[synthetic life]]".<ref>{{Cite journal| doi = 10.1126/science.1190719| pmid = 20488990| year = 2010| last1 = Gibson | first1 = D.| last2 = Glass | first2 = J.| last3 = Lartigue | first3 = C.| last4 = Noskov | first4 = V.| last5 = Chuang | first5 = R.| last6 = Algire | first6 = M.| last7 = Benders | first7 = G.| last8 = Montague | first8 = M.| last9 = Ma | first9 = L.| last10 = Moodie | first10 = M. M.| last11 = Merryman | first11 = C.| last12 = Vashee | first12 = S.| last13 = Krishnakumar | first13 = R.| last14 = Assad-Garcia | first14 = N.| last15 = Andrews-Pfannkoch | first15 = C.| last16 = Denisova | first16 = E. A.| last17 = Young | first17 = L.| last18 = Qi | first18 = Z. -Q.| last19 = Segall-Shapiro | first19 = T. H.| last20 = Calvey | first20 = C. H.| last21 = Parmar | first21 = P. P.| last22 = Hutchison Ca | first22 = C. A.| last23 = Smith | first23 = H. O.| last24 = Venter | first24 = J. C.| title = Creation of a Bacterial Cell Controlled by a Chemically Synthesized Genome| journal = Science| volume = 329| issue = 5987| pages = 52–56|bibcode = 2010Sci...329...52G | doi-access = free}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.wired.com/2010/05/scientists-create-first-self-replicating-synthetic-life-2/ |title = Scientists Create First Self-Replicating Synthetic Life | magazine=Wired | first=Rachel |last=Swaby |date=May 20, 2010}}</ref> This was done by synthesizing a very long DNA molecule containing an entire bacterium [[genome]], and introducing this into another [[Cell (biology)|cell]], analogous to the accomplishment of [[Eckard Wimmer]]'s group, who synthesized and ligated an [[RNA virus]] genome and "booted" it in cell lysate.<ref>{{cite journal | pmid = 20010599 | doi=10.1038/nbt.1593 | volume=27 | issue=12 |date=December 2009 | pages=1163–72 | pmc=2819212 | title = Synthetic viruses: a new opportunity to understand and prevent viral disease | last1 = Wimmer | first1 = Eckard | last2 = Mueller | first2 = Steffen | last3 = Tumpey | first3 = Terrence M | last4 = Taubenberger | first4 = Jeffery K | journal = Nature Biotechnology}}</ref> The single-celled organism contains four "watermarks"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.righto.com/2010/06/using-arc-to-decode-venters-secret-dna.html|title=Using Arc to decode Venter's secret DNA watermark|website=Righto.com|access-date=January 5, 2019}}</ref>
written into its DNA to identify it as synthetic and to help trace its descendants. The watermarks include 
# Code table for entire alphabet with punctuations
# Names of 46 contributing scientists
# Three quotations
# The secret email address for the cell.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/may/20/craig-venter-synthetic-life-form |title = Craig Venter creates synthetic life form | location=London | work=The Guardian | date=May 20, 2010 | first=Ian | last=Sample}}</ref>

On March 25, 2016, Venter reported the creation of Syn 3.0, a synthetic genome having the fewest genes of any freely living organism (473 genes). Their aim was to strip away all nonessential genes, leaving only the minimal set necessary to support life.
This stripped-down, fast reproducing cell is expected to be a valuable tool for researchers in the field.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Synthetic microbe has fewest genes, but many mysteries|first=Robert F.|last=Service|date=March 25, 2016|journal=Science|volume=351|issue=6280|pages=1380–1381|doi=10.1126/science.351.6280.1380|pmid=27013708|bibcode=2016Sci...351.1380S}}</ref>

In August 2018, Venter retired as chairman of the board, saying he wanted to focus on his work at the J. Craig Venter Institute. He will remain as a scientific advisor to the board.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sdbj.com/news/2018/aug/14/venter-retires-chairman-synthetic-genomics-board/|title=Venter Retires as Chairman of Synthetic Genomics Board|last=Whitlock|first=Jared|date=August 14, 2018|work=San Diego Business Journal|access-date=August 16, 2018}}</ref>

===J. Craig Venter Institute===
In 2006 Venter founded the [[J. Craig Venter Institute]] (JCVI), a nonprofit which conducts research in [[synthetic biology]]. It has facilities in La Jolla and in [[Rockville, Maryland]] and employs over 200 people.

In April 2022 Venter sold the La Jolla JCVI facility to the [[University of California, San Diego]] for $25 million. Venter will continue to lead a separate nonprofit research group, also known as the J. Craig Venter Institute, and stressed that he is not retiring.  The Venter Institute has out grown its current building with multiple new facility hires and will be moving into new space in 2025.<ref name="Robbins-2022">{{cite news|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/science/story/2022-04-27/venter-research-institute-ucsd#:~:text=Craig%20Venter%2C%20the%20maverick%20biologist,San%20Diego%2C%20his%20alma%20mater.|title=Geneticist Craig Venter sells his La Jolla research center to UC San Diego for $25 million|last=Robbins|first=Gary|date=April 27, 2022|work=San Diego Union Tribune|access-date=April 28, 2022}}</ref>

===Individual human genome===
On September 4, 2007, a team led by Sam Levy published one of the first genomes of an individual human—Venter's own DNA sequence.<ref name="Kirkness, Ewen F.-2007">{{cite journal|journal=PLOS Biology|date=2007|volume=5|issue=10|title=The Diploid Genome Sequence of an Individual Human|author=Levy S | doi = 10.1371/journal.pbio.0050254|pages=e254|pmid=17803354|pmc=1964779|author2=Sutton G|author3=Ng PC|author4=Feuk L|author5=Halpern AL|display-authors=5|last6=Walenz|first6=Brian P.|last7=Axelrod|first7=Nelson|last8=Huang|first8=Jiaqi|last9=Kirkness|first9=Ewen F. |doi-access=free }}</ref> Some of the sequences in Venter's genome are associated with wet earwax,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/dispomim.cgi?id=117800|title=Omim – Ear Wax, Wet/Dry<!-- Bot generated title -->|website=Ncbi.nlm.mih.gov|access-date=January 5, 2019}}</ref> increased risk of antisocial behavior, [[Alzheimer's disease|Alzheimer's]] and [[cardiovascular diseases]].<ref name="J. Craig Venter-2007"/> 

The Human Reference Genome Browser is a web application for the navigation and analysis of Venter's recently published genome. The HuRef database consists of approximately 32 million DNA reads sequenced using [[microfluidic Sanger sequencing]], assembled into 4,528 scaffolds and 4.1 million [[Mutation|DNA variation]]s identified by genome analysis. These variants include [[single-nucleotide polymorphism]]s (SNPs), block [[point mutation|substitutions]], short and large [[indel]]s, and structural variations like [[insertion (genetics)|insertions]], [[deletion (genetics)|deletions]], [[chromosome inversion|inversions]] and [[copy number variation|copy number changes]].

The browser enables scientists to navigate the HuRef genome assembly and sequence variations, and to compare it with the NCBI human build 36 assembly in the context of the [[National Center for Biotechnology Information|NCBI]] and [[Ensembl]] annotations. The browser provides a comparative view between NCBI and HuRef consensus sequences, the sequence multi-alignment of the HuRef assembly, Ensembl and dbSNP annotations, HuRef variants, and the underlying variant evidence and functional analysis. The interface also represents the [[haplotype]] blocks from which diploid genome sequence can be inferred and the relation of variants to gene annotations. The display of variants and gene annotations are linked to external public resources including [[dbSNP]], Ensembl, [[Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man]] (OMIM) and [[Gene Ontology]] (GO).

Users can search the HuRef genome using HUGO gene names, Ensembl and dbSNP identifiers, HuRef [[contig]] or scaffold locations, or NCBI chromosome locations. Users can then easily and quickly browse any genomic region via the simple and intuitive pan and zoom controls; furthermore, data relevant to specific loci can be exported for further analysis.

===Human Longevity, Inc.===
On March 4, 2014, Venter and co-founders [[Peter Diamandis]] and Robert Hariri announced the formation of [[Human Longevity]], Inc., a company focused on extending the healthy, "high performance" human lifespan.<ref name="Human Longevity Inc-2014">{{cite news | title = Human Longevity Inc. (HLI) Launched to Promote Healthy Aging Using Advances in Genomics and Stem Cell Therapies | publisher = [[PR Newswire]] | date = March 4, 2014 | url = http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/human-longevity-inc-hli-launched-to-promote-healthy-aging-using-advances-in-genomics-and-stem-cell-therapies-248379091.html | access-date = December 16, 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141021000819/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/human-longevity-inc-hli-launched-to-promote-healthy-aging-using-advances-in-genomics-and-stem-cell-therapies-248379091.html | archive-date = October 21, 2014 | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref name="Bigelow-2014">{{cite news | last = Bigelow | first = Bruce V.  | title = Craig Venter's Latest Startup Gets $70M To Sequence Loads of Genomes | publisher = [[Xconomy]] | date = March 4, 2014 | url = http://www.xconomy.com/san-diego/2014/03/04/craig-venters-latest-startup-gets-70m-to-sequence-loads-of-genomes/ | access-date = December 16, 2014 }}</ref> At the time of the announcement the company had already raised $70&nbsp;million in [[Venture capital financing|venture financing]], which was expected to last 18&nbsp;months.<ref name="Human Longevity Inc-2014" /><ref name="Bigelow-2014" /> Venter served as the chairman and chief executive officer&nbsp;(CEO) until May 2018, when he retired. The company said that it plans to sequence 40,000 genomes per year, with an initial focus on [[Cancer genome sequencing|cancer genomes]] and the genomes of cancer patients.<ref name="Human Longevity Inc-2014" />

Human Longevity filed a lawsuit in 2018 against Venter, accusing him of stealing trade secrets. Allegations were made stating that Venter had departed with his company computer that contained valuable information that could be used to start a competing business.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Genomics Company Human Longevity Sues J. Craig Venter Institute|url=https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/genomics-company-human-longevity-sues-j--craig-venter-institute-64539|access-date=October 23, 2020|website=[[The Scientist (magazine)|The Scientist]]}}</ref> The lawsuit was ultimately dismissed by a California judge on the basis that Human Longevity were unable to present a case that met the legal threshold required for a company, or individual, to sue when its trade secrets have been stolen.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.statnews.com/2018/12/19/judge-dismisses-lawsuit-accusing-craig-venter-of-stealing-trade-secrets/|title=Judge dismisses lawsuit accusing Craig Venter of stealing trade secrets|date=December 19, 2018|website=STAT|language=en-US|access-date=April 3, 2020}}</ref>

Human Longevity's mission is to extend healthy human lifespan by the use of high-resolution [[big data]] diagnostics from [[genomics]], [[Metabolome|metabolomics]], [[Microbiome|microbiomics]], and [[proteomics]], and the use of [[stem cell therapy]].<ref name="Smith-2014">{{cite news | last = Smith | first = Robin L.  | title = The Regeneration Generation: A Conversation With Bob Hariri, Vice-Chairman and Co-Founder of Human Longevity Inc. | work = [[The Huffington Post]] | date = November 11, 2014 | url = https://www.huffingtonpost.com/robin-l-smith/the-regeneration-generati_b_6199076.html | access-date = December 16, 2014 }}</ref>