Xiaoliang Sunney Xie’s Remarks at the Commemorative Gala: Remembering Scientific Maverick Craig Venter

2026-09-01

In February 2001, human civilization reached a landmark moment: the draft sequence of the human genome was published in Nature and Science. On February 15, the international consortium of the Human Genome Project (HGP), comprising scientists from China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, France, and Germany, published the first draft of the human genome sequence in Nature. It was followed the next day by Celera, led by Dr. Craig Venter. Taking a different approach, the private-sector team used whole-genome shotgun sequencing to assemble the human genome and published its sequence in Science.

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Human Genome Project, Changping Laboratory hosted an international academic symposium to commemorate this historic milestone. Tragically, when we were preparing to invite Craig Venter to attend, we received the devastating news that he had passed away on April 29, 2026.

Craig Venter (1946—2026）

Craig Venter was a highly controversial scientist in the field of genomics. He once attempted to patent human genes, a move that generated considerable opposition. Nevertheless, he remains an indispensable figure in the history of the Human Genome Project and made indelible contributions to the field. Whole-genome shotgun sequencing stands as one of his most important scientific legacies. Craig was visionary and charismatic, and few people possessed his ability to persuade others to follow him into uncharted scientific territory.

At the commemorative gala, Symposium Chair Xiaoliang Sunney Xie paid special tribute to this “scientific maverick,” a man who made waves throughout the scientific community and never followed conventional paths. Although Sunney had met Craig Venter only a handful of times over the past two decades, those encounters deeply influenced him and helped lead him toward a broader scientific horizon. ““The first time we met, he made me feel how ignorant I was. The second time, he made me forget my own conclusions mid-sentence,” Sunney recalled the encounters with a smile.

In 1997, Sunney first met Craig Venter while working at the U.S. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. At the time, both scientists’ research projects were supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. At the arrangement of Aristides Patrinos, the two had breakfast together. Craig was animated and quick-witted, commanding the restaurant as though it were his personal stage. He spoke at length throughout the meal, and it was during that breakfast that Sunney first learned about shotgun assembly.

The second time Sunney encountered Craig, Sunney was participating in an interview for the National Institutes of Health Director’s Pioneer Award, with Craig serving as a member of the review panel. “During my presentation, he grilled me with question after question until I completely lost my composure. I was dismissed before I even finished my conclusions.” Sunney recalled feeling deeply discouraged at the time, even wondering whether his scientific career might have come to an end. Unexpectedly, he received notification several days later that he had been selected for the award. “Turns out, Craig wasn’t testing whether I could defend my work—he was testing whether I had the guts to take a real risk.” That encouragement proved pivotal. It prompted Sunney’s team at Harvard to turn toward genomics, ultimately leading to the development of a fluorescence-based DNA sequencing method.

After the completion of the Human Genome Project, Sunney encountered Craig once again at an academic conference—although this time, they were separated by a screen. Craig was then thousands of miles away, collecting microbial samples in the Pacific Ocean. As expected, his expedition drew envious looks from everyone attending the meeting.

Fearless and relentlessly forward-looking—this was Craig Venter. His courage, boldness, and curiosity will continue to inspire us to pursue our scientific dreams, venture boldly into the unknown, and push beyond the next frontier of science. We pay tribute to the past 25 years, and we look forward to the next 25—years in which we hope to see more courageous and intrepid scientists follow in the footsteps of those who came before them and make even greater contributions to the advancement of human life sciences.

Citation

Xiaoliang Sunney Xie, “Remembering ‘Scientific Maverick’ Venter: An Extraordinary Scientist and a Hero of Singular Courage,” The Intellectual, May 6, 2026.