Editing Craig Venter (section)

===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>