Frontiers Forum Deep Dive series

The Earth BioGenome Project Phase II: illuminating the eukaryotic tree of life

18 September 2025 | 16:00-17:30 CEST

Discover the next phase of the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP), which aims to sequence the DNA of all known eukaryotic species to protect biodiversity, improve global health, and drive scientific innovation.

Speakers

  • Prof Harris Lewin headshot

    Prof Harris Lewin

    Arizona State University, USA

  • Mark Blaxter headshot

    Prof Mark Blaxter

    Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK

  • Headshot of Federica Di Palma

    Dr Federica Di Palma

    Genome BC, Canada

  • Prof Richard Gibbs headshot

    Prof Richard Gibbs

    Baylor College of Medicine, USA

Sequencing the genomes of eukaryotic species through inclusive, global collaboration

In their upcoming Frontiers in Science lead article, that will be published ahead of the event, the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP) leaders reveal a refined strategy to scale up the sequencing of 150,000 species. Thanks to major technical advances, high-quality genomes can now be produced 10 times faster and at significantly lower cost.

Hear the authors discuss how EBP’s next phase will accelerate biodiversity research, support global conservation, and extend genomic benefits to underserved regions using mobile sequencing labs. Alongside a panel of fellow experts, they will explore the importance of open data sharing, training local scientists, and sequencing at the source—ensuring inclusivity, capacity-building, and benefit-sharing, especially in the Global South.

Agenda

Introduction

Deep Dive and methodology

Next steps and looking to the future

Panel discussion and Q&A

Speaker and contributor bios

  • Harris Lewin

    Research Professor, Global Futures Laboratory, Arizona State University, USA

    Prof Harris Lewin is a distinguished genome scientist and evolutionary biologist, known for his groundbreaking work in mammalian genomics and immunogenetics. He has made major contributions to our understanding of chromosome evolution and its relationship to adaptation, speciation and the origins of cancers.

    Currently, a research professor at Arizona State University’s Global Futures Laboratory, Harris is also a distinguished professor emeritus of evolution and ecology and a former vice chancellor of research at UC Davis. He is a driving force behind the Earth BioGenome Project, a coalition of worldwide scientists and 50-plus ongoing projects that has a primary goal of completing, high-quality DNA reference genomes for all higher organisms on Earth, an estimated 1.8 million species. 

    Recognized internationally, Harris is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and recipient of the Wolf Prize in Agriculture—one of the field’s highest honors.

  • Mark Blaxter

    Programme Lead, Tree of Life Programme and Senior Group Leader, Wellcome Sanger Institute 

    A zoologist by training, Prof Mark Blaxter is head of the Tree of Life Programme at the Wellcome Sanger Institute. In this role he leads pioneering efforts to generate and analyze reference genome sequences of all eukaryotic species in Britain and Ireland via the landmark Darwin Tree of Life Project, part of the Earth BioGenome Project global initiative. 

    Mark’s interests center on evolutionary genomics, biodiversity, and the origins and evolution of parasitism and symbiosis, particularly among neglected and non-model organisms such as nematodes, tardigrades, molluscs, and meiofauna.  

    Recognized for both innovation and leadership, Mark is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and several other prestigious societies that are dedicated to advancing conservation and genomics for worldwide impact. 

  • Richard Gibbs

    Founding Director, Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, USA 

    Prof Richard Gibbs is a pioneering geneticist and the founder and director of the Human Genome Sequencing Center (HGSC), one of the five worldwide sites selected to undertake and complete the Human Genome Project. Under his leadership the HGSC has led many genome projects for model species and contributed to the Mammalian Gene Collection, the Hapmap Project, the 1000 Genomes Project and the Cancer Genome Atlas.  

    Best known for his work in whole-genome sequencing for the discovery of genetic diseases, Richard and his team have developed tools for generating, manipulating, and analyzing genome data. In 2011, Richard was elected to the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, and Science and the National Academy of Medicine and was recognized as one of the 400 most influential biomedical scientists in the world.