The UCSC Genome Browser
Twenty-five years ago, the Human Genome Project released the first draft of the human genome sequence, a moonshot accomplishment that UC Santa Cruz played a heroic role in getting over the finish line. Having that sequence available was only the start, however. Scientists needed a way to view and annotate it, and share what they learned about our genetic code with others.
Immediately after sharing the HGP’s draft sequence, UC Santa Cruz went to work to create the UCSC Genome Browser, which instantly became one of the most widely used resources for genomics worldwide. Originally built to allow researchers to explore a single human DNA sequence, it is now accessed by over 170,000 distinct global users per month to visualize, annotate, and study genomes of thousands of different species from humans to viruses.
To celebrate these milestones and the tremendous impact that they have had on our planet, we have been interviewing Browser alums and sharing news about the future of the Browser, and genomics research, as we step into a new world of AI for biotech.
SPECIAL EVENT
Join us for a special celebration of the history and future of genomics from 2-5:30pm on May 16th at the Seymour Center. The half-day symposium will feature a keynote address about genomics in medicine, a stimulating panel discussion, presentations, and live demos!
Browser Alumni Profiles
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UCSC Genome Browser Alumni Profile: Melissa Cline
Twenty-five years after the Human Genome Project, Melissa Cline has become a prominent figure in the field of cancer genomics. She currently manages the BRCA Exchange, the largest public resource for knowledge on genetic variations that influence heritable breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancers. She also co-leads the Genomic Knowledge Standards Workstream for the Global…
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25 years of the UCSC Genome Browser
When Katie Pollard first began working toward her Ph.D. in biostatistics at UC Berkeley in the late 90s, the human genome had not yet been sequenced. Then, on July 7, 2000, UC Santa Cruz published the HGCP’s first draft of a sequence online. Suddenly, a whole new field of genomics sprung into being. It was…
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Alumni spotlight: A UCSC Genome Browser alum continues to explore “the edge of what is possible” at Google
September 10, 2020 By Rose Miyatsu When Chuck Sugnet began his graduate research with Baskin School of Engineering professor David Haussler, the lab was in the midst of a desperate race to complete an assembly of the human genome before a private competitor, Celera, could patent it. “[Haussler and Kent] really had a vision,” Sugnet says.…
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Alumni Spotlight: Human Genome Project alumnus is using genomics to find new solutions for disease
August 12, 2020By Rose Miyatsu When Terry Furey enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Computer Science at the Baskin School of Engineering, he had no idea that he would soon become a part of one of the greatest scientific feats in modern history. As a computer scientist with an interest in biology, Furey had originally been…
The Future of the Browser
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The Human Genome Project’s legacy is still yielding new advances
At the 25th anniversary of the Human Genome Project, the Tech Brew looks back at what it has accomplished, and how its legacy of combining computation and biology has set the stage for future applications in medicine and new advances in AI-powered life sciences at the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute.
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Newest Genome Browser features highlight the power of generative AI and machine learning for biology
The UCSC Genome Browser has added two new datasets that leverage the power of generative AI and machine learning to interpret information about genetic variants and more rapidly assess which ones might be harmful to human health. These datasets, from AlphaMissense and VarChat, are available as “tracks” on the two most widely used human reference…