The Institute for Genomic Research

What is it famous for? Two words: DNA sequencing. Although initially focused on sequencing cDNAs, The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) is perhaps best known for completing the first genomic sequence of a living organism. That sequence, of the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae, was published in 1995 and was soon followed by that of Mycoplasma genitalium. Since then, about a dozen microorganism genomes have been sequenced, half of them by TIGR. Perhaps the most famous of these is that of the Archae bacteria Methanococcus jannaschii, sequenced two years ago, which TIGR founder and president J. Craig Venter hailed as the first genome from the third domain of life. How was TIGR started? During his career at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Venter became increasingly frustrated with the time and money lavished on isolating individual genes. So he developed a way of sequencing fragments of randomly selected cDNA clones — so-called 'expressed sequence tags' (ESTs) — which would represent active genes. Despite harsh criticism from some prominent academics, the potential of this approach soon outstripped his crowded, dilapidated lab space at NIH (and NIH's willingness to bankroll the work). Where did the funding come from? TIGR was set up as a non-profit research institute, with the backing of an $85 million loan from a venture capital company by way of Human Genome Sciences (HGS), a young biotechnology company headed by ex-Harvard AIDS researcher William Haseltine. Did the TIGR–HGS partnership work? In many respects it was a perfect match — at least to begin with. TIGR received generous start-up funds to develop a formidable sequencing and bioinformatics operation. The Institute is based a few miles from the NIH in Rockville, Maryland, and employs about 170 staff and almost as many DNA sequencing machines. HGS, meanwhile, received exclusive licensing rights to a few of the most therapeutically promising clones identified by TIGR, as well as help in optimizing cDNA sequencing technology. The company has applied for numerous patents on the basis of its cDNA sequencing data. Have Venter and Haseltine made headlines? You bet they have. The pair appeared on the cover of Business Week as " The Gene Kings " , but most publications considered the duo " the odd couple " for their contrasting styles. Although Venter accrued considerable wealth from his stock in HGS, part of which he lavished on honing his sailing skills — he won a transAtlantic race …