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Nearly every week, new genomes are welcomed into the vast annals of modern science. Indeed, genomic research is moving at an ever-increasing pace, as the machines that decode — or “sequence” — DNA churn out data faster and more cheaply than ever before.

Small genetic differences between individuals help explain why some people have a higher risk than others for developing illnesses such as diabetes or cancer. Today in the journal Nature, the 1000 Genomes Project, an international public-private consortium, published the most comprehensive map of these genetic differences, called variations, estimated to contain approximately 95 percent of the genetic variation of any person on Earth.

Ignore the ick factor, for a moment, and consider the lowly roundworm.

Also known by its more formal name, Caenorhabditis elegans, the 1 millimeter-long nematode has helped scientists all over the world uncover new insights about biology and genetics since the 1960s.


 

The ӳý aims for transparency to make its data and software freely available to the scientific community. That transparency is also seen in the buildings' design. Glass walls in offices, labs, and conference rooms reflect the "open-access" nature of the institute.