2017 CME STEM Leadership Award Honoree for Historic Scientific Achievement. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC.

Founder of Celera Genomics, key contributor to the 2001 Science publication of the human genome. The Human Genome Project (1988-2000) was one of the largest scientific endeavors in history. BS in Biochemistry and PhD in Physiology and Pharmacology. Dr. Venter is a biologist renowned for his contributions in genomics including sequencing the first draft human genome, the first complete diploid human genome and construction of the first synthetic bacterial cell and first minimal synthetic cell.

He is Co-Founder, Executive Chairman, Head of Scientific Strategy of Human Longevity Inc (HLI), a privately held genomics-based, technology company creating the world’s largest and most comprehensive database of whole genome, phenotype and clinical data to revolutionize healthcare. He is Founder, Chairman and CEO of the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), a not for profit basic science research institute and Co-Founder, co-Chief Scientific Officer and Chairman of Synthetic Genomics Inc (SGI), a privately held company focused on developing synthetic biology-based products and solutions.

Dr. Venter is a recipient of the 2008 National Medal of Science and is a member of the National Academy of Sciences. He is the author of Life at the Speed of Light: From the Double Helix to the Dawn of Digital Life (Viking, 2013) and A Life Decoded: My Genome: My Life (Viking, 2007).