KQED's Forum What Did Mapping The Genome Get Us?
May 6, 2026
Philip Ball, science writer and former Nature editor, offers concise perspective on gene regulation and how genomics reshaped biology. Fyodor Urnov, UC Berkeley professor and gene‑editing researcher, discusses genomic medicine and CRISPR successes. They explore Venter’s impact, the shift from genome-as-blueprint thinking, clinical sequencing for diagnosis, and realistic limits and wins of gene editing.
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Shotgun Sequencing Changed Genome Mapping
- Craig Venter accelerated the Human Genome Project by promoting shotgun sequencing over the public project's map-then-sequence approach.
- Shotgun sequencing broke DNA into random small chunks, sequenced them, and used computers to reassemble the genome, which became a standard, faster method.
On-Demand Genetic Medicine Built For A Newborn
- Fyodor Urnov recounts building an on-demand genetic medicine for a newborn within days, enabled by rapid genome sequencing and teamwork with hospitals and industry.
- He credits Venter's methods for enabling two-day whole-genome reads that let clinicians identify lethal mutations quickly.
Genes Are Not A Simple Blueprint
- The genome is not a simple blueprint; gene regulation and context determine how the same ~20,000 genes produce diverse cell types and traits.
- Complexity arises from which genes are turned on/off across cell types, making phenotype prediction from sequence difficult.
