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DOE Genomics Timeline

Program Developments

This page outlines progress, announcements, and pivotal documents in the growth of the DOE Genomic Science program as well as predecessor DOE genome programs including the Human Genome Project.

2012

  • September: Biosystems Design to Enable Next-Generation Biofuels. Initial funding announce. Summary of projects awarded in 2012 under DE-FOA 0000640.
  • September: DOE Joint Genome Institute Strategic Planning for the Genomic Sciences Workshop Report published.
  • July: USDA and DOE Fund Nine New Projects in 2012 for Biomass Genomics Research. See website and press release.
  • May: KBase website launches Alpha Release with draft tutorials, database loads, unified prototypes, workflow drafts, cloud and cluster services.
  • April: Biosystems Design: Report from the July 2011 Workshop published.
  • February 26-29: 2012 Genomic Science Awardee Meeting X held in Bethesda, MD. (Abstracts)
  • February: Applications of New DOE User Facilities in Biology Workshop Report published.

2011

  • August: DOE and USDA Fund Ten New Projects for Biomass Genomics Research. See website and press release.
  • July: DOE announced the selection of a collaboration of top scientists from across the Nation to lead development of a computer-based Systems Biology Knowledgebase (KBase). Leading the collaboration will be principal investigator Adam Arkin of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), with co-principal investigators Rick Stevens of Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Robert Cottingham of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and Sergei Maslov of Brookhaven National Laboratory.
  • May 9-11: Applications of New DOE National User Facilities in Biology Workshop. (See Report)
  • April 10-13: 2011 Genomic Science Awardee Meeting IX and USDA-DOE Plant Feedstock Genomics for Bioenergy Awardee Meeting. (Abstracts)

2010

  • December: The Biological and Enviromental Research Advisory Committee (BERAC) publishes Grand Challenges for Biological and Environmental Research: A Long-Term Vision.
  • November: Overview of Projects and Activities Underpinning Development of the DOE Systems Biology Knowledgebase. (PDF)
  • October: Biological Systems Research on the Role of Microbial Communities in Carbon Cycling. Summary of projects awarded in summer 2010. (PDF)
  • September: DOE Systems Biology Knowledgebase Implementation Plan published.
  • September: Departments of Energy and Agriculture jointly selected 9 projects for awards totaling $9 million for biobased-fuel research. [Sept 2, 2010] List of Awardees
  • July: U.S. DOE Bioenergy Research Centers: An Overview of the Science (2010 edition) published. (PDF)
  • February 7-10: Genomic Science 2010 Awardee Workshop VIII and USDA-DOE Knowledgebase Workshop. (Abstracts)

2009

  • October: New Frontiers in Characterizing Biological Systems. A Report from the May 2009 U.S. DOE Office of Science Workshop published.
  • October: DOE JGI, others propose a new set of standards to build on Bermuda Standard. A group of researchers from several sequencing centers, including the DOE Joint Genome Institute (JGI), the Sanger Institute and the Human Microbiome Project (HMP) Jumpstart Consortium sequencing institutes, has proposed a new set of standards that expand upon the so-called Bermuda standard. In the October 9 issue of the journal Science, they propose four additional categories between draft and finished status that reflect varying levels of completeness. Press release and Science.
  • September: Genomics:GTL now called the Genomic Science Program.
  • July: USDA and DOE jointly selected 7 projects for awards totaling $6.3 million for biobased-fuel research. See press release and list of awardees. [July 22, 2009]
  • March: GTL Systems Biology Knowledgebase for a New Era in Biology report from May 2008 workshop published.
  • February: Genomics:GTL Strategic Plan (September 2008) published.
  • February 8-11: Genomics:GTL Awardee Workshop VII and USDA-DOE Plant Feedstock Genomics for Bioenergy Awardee Workshop 2009, Bethesda, Maryland. (Abstracts)

2008

  • December: Carbon Cycling and Biosequestration: Integrating Biology and Climate Through Systems Science Report from the BER-hosted Carbon Cycling and Biosequestration Workshop, March 2008, released. This report outlines the workshop's findings and highlights key opportunities for research on biological aspects of the global carbon cycle. Further details and PDFs.
  • October 28-29: DOE and USDA hold workshop on Sustainability of Biofuels: State of the Science and Future Directions. Report.
  • October 7: DOE and USDA Release National Biofuels Action Plan. (Press release and Document)
  • September: Genomics:GTL Strategic Plan written. (Released February 2009.)
  • July 31: USDA and DOE Fund 10 New Projects for Biomass Genomics Research. Departments of Energy and Agriculture jointly selected 10 projects for awards totaling $10 million for biobased-fuel research. (Press Release and Awardees)
  • May 28-30: DOE BER holds computing workshop on GTL Systems Biology Knowledgebase. Report.
  • April 4: Genomics:GTL Program Data Sharing and Information Policy released. (PDF)
  • March 4-6 and Mar. 17-18: Carbon Cycling and Biosequestration: Integrating Biology and Climate Through Systems Science workshop hosted by DOE BER. Report.
  • February 10-13: Genomics:GTL Awardee Workshop VI and Metabolic Engineering Working Group Interagency Conference on Metabolic Engineering 2008, Bethesda, Maryland. (Abstracts)

2007

  • Oct. 1: DOE Provides Nearly $30 Million to Jump Start Bioenergy Research Centers.The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced it has invested nearly $30 million in end-of-fiscal-year (2007) funds to accelerate the start-up of its three new Bioenergy Research Centers, bringing total DOE Bioenergy Research Center investment to over $400 million. Press Release
  • June 26: Energy Department Selects Three Bioenergy Research Centers for $375 Million in Federal Funding Secretary Samuel W. Bodman announced three new Bioenergy Research Centers intended to accelerate basic research in the development of cellulosic ethanol and other biofuels. Press Release, more details
  • June 7: Energy and Agriculture Departments Provide $8.3 Million in Funding for Biofuels Research. U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman and Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced that the Department of Energy and the Department of Agriculture have jointly selected 11 projects for awards totaling $8.3 million for biobased fuels research that will accelerate the development of alternative fuel resources. Press Release
  • February: Joint ASCAC-BERAC Report on Modeling and Simulation for GTL, in response to the charge dated February 23, 2007
  • February 11-14: Joint Genomics: GTL Awardee Workshop V and Metabolic Engineering 2007 and USDA-DOE Plant Feedstock Genomics for Bioenergy Awardee Workshop 2007, North Bethesda, Maryland. (Abstracts)
  • February 5: Number of Planned Bioenergy Research Centers Revised
    • Press Release: Department of Energy Requests $24.3 Billion for FY 2008 Budget
    • FY 2008 Office of Science Budget Presentation by Under Secretary for Science Dr. Raymond L. Orbach

2006

  • October 11-12: DOE/USDA Advancing Renewable Energy Conference, St. Louis, MO. USDA Secretary Mike Johanns and U.S. DOE Secretary Samuel Bodman announce nearly $17.5 million for 17 biomass research, development and demonstration projects, to help break our nation's addiction to oil. Remarks by President Bush. DOE Bioenergy Initiative Presentation by Under Secretary for Science Raymond Orbach.
  • September: First tree genome sequence published; consortium led by DOE Joint Genome Institute. Press release
  • August: USDA and DOE Fund Genomics Projects For Bioenergy Fuels Research. USDA & DOE jointly award nine grants totaling $5.7 million for biobased fuels research that will accelerate the development of alternative fuel resources. See August 9, 2006 Press Release.
  • August: USDA and DOE Name Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee Members. See August 9, 2006 Press Release.
  • August: DOE Issues Call for New Bioenergy Research Centers. See White Paper document (High-Res PDF & Low-Res PDF) and Funding Opportunity Announcement. See also August 2 press release and Fact Sheet.
  • July: "Breaking the Biological Barriers to Cellulosic Ethanol: A Joint Research Agenda." A Research Roadmap Resulting from the Biomass to Biofuels Workshop, December 2005 Details and PDFs for Download. See also July 7 Press Release and Fact Sheet PDF.
  • May 1-2: Dealing with the Societal Implications of DOE Science: Workshop on Integrating Societal Implications into Science. Chantilly, Virginia (PDF, 421 kb)
  • March: Office of Science revises plans for Genomics:GTL facilities. See March 28 Fact Sheet. January 10 Funding Call is canceled.
  • February: Review of the Department of Energy’s Genomics: GTL Program, National Research Council of the National Academies (Review PDF, 679 kb)
  • February 12-15: Joint Genomics:GTL Contractor-Grantee Workshop IV and Metabolic Engineering Working Group Interagency Conference on Metabolic Engineering, North Bethesda, Maryland (Abstracts)
  • January 10: Funding call announced for the GTL Facility for the Production and Characterization of Proteins and Molecular Tags. (See more....)
  • January 17, 2006. USDA and DOE to Coordinate Research of Plant and Microbial Genomics: Soybean DNA to be Decoded. The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy announced January 16th they will share resources and coordinate the study of plant and microbial genomics, and the Department of Energy will tackle the sequencing of the soybean genome as the first project resulting from the agreement. For more information, see press release.
  • [NOTE: CANCELED (03/28/06)] January 9, 2006. Genomics:GTL Facility for the Production and Characterization of Proteins and Molecular Tags Funding Opportunity Announced. This Funding Opportunity Announcement requests that the scientific community submit applications for the development of a scientific user facility for the Production and Characterization of Proteins and Molecular Tags that involves the design, construction (construction is used generically here and could include new construction, renovation of existing space, leasing space or other options proposed by the applicants), and research and development related to the design, configuration, and operation of the facility that will serve as a major scientific user facility for the scientific community including the Genomics: GTL program.

2005

2004

2003

2002

  • December 3–4: Genomes to Life draft facilities strategy and plan submitted to the Biological and Environmental Advisory Committee by the Life Sciences Division of the Biological and Environmental Research program for the December 3-4, 2002 meeting. Program Overview (6 pages); January 2003 (PDF file, 282 Kb)
  • October 14–15: Genomes to Life Systems Biology Facilities Planning Workshop III, Gaithersburg, Md.
  • August 16–17: Genomes to Life Systems Biology Facilities Planning Workshop II, Chicago
  • July 23: "Energy Department Awards $103 Million for Post-Genomic Research" Genomes to Life Press Release
  • June 19-20: Genomes to Life Systems Biology Facilities Planning Workshop I, San Francisco
  • April 30-May 4: Genomes to Life Energy and Climate Change Payoffs poster is exhibited at G-8 Ministers of Energy Summit, Detroit, Mich.
  • April 16-19: Computing Strategies Workshop, Oak Ridge, Tenn.
  • April 16-18: Imaging Workshop for the Genomes to Life Program, Charlotte, N.C. (Executive Summary PDF file, 20 Kb); See publications page for alternate (low-resolution, high-resolution) versions.
  • March 18-19: Mathematics for Genomes to Life Workshop, Gaithersburg, Md. (PDF file, 266 Kb; Executive Summary (PDF file, 23 Kb))
  • March 6-7: Computer Science for Genomes to Life Workshop, Gaithersburg, Md. ((PDF file, 272 Kb); Executive Summary (PDF file, 32 Kb))
  • January 22-23: Computing Infrastructure and Networking Workshop for Genomes to Life, Gaithersburg, Md. Presentations available here. The report is available here as a PDF file.

2001

  • December 10-11: Genomes to Life: Technology Assessment for Mass Spectrometry Workshop, Washington D.C. (PDF file, 118 Kb; Executive Summary (PDF file, 59 Kb))
  • October 26: Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research Advisory Committee Presentation by Gary Johnson, PDF.
  • October 24-25: Genomes to Life Energy and Climate Mission Payoffs Workshop, Chicago
  • September 9-10: Genomes to Life Science Mission Payoffs Workshop, Washington D.C.
  • September 6-7: Visions for Computational and Systems Biology Workshop for the Genomes to Life Program, Washington D.C. (notes: PDF file, 430 Kb)
  • August 7-8: First Genomes to Life Computational Biology Workshop was held at the U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters, Germantown, Md. The report is available as a PDF file.
  • June 23: Genomes to Life Workshop on The Role of Biotechnology in Mitigating Greenhouse Gas Concentrations; Arlington, Va. ( Ken Nealson and J. Craig Venter, Workshop Cochairs)
  • April: Genomes to Life roadmap document is published in response to recommendations set forth in the 2000 report, "Bringing the Genome to Life."
  • February:: Initial Working Draft Sequence of the human genome is published in Science and Nature.
  • January 25-26: Genomes to Life Roadmapping Workshop, Germantown, Md.

2000

  • October 29-November 1: Genomes to Life Roadmapping Workshop, San Diego, Ca.
  • August: BERAC publishes"Bringing the Genome to Life" report in response to Martha Krebs' 1999 charge to define DOE's potential scientific roles after the Human Genome Project is completed.
  • June: HGP leaders and President Clinton announce the completion of a "working draft" DNA sequence of the human genome.
  • April: DOE researchers announce completion of chromosomes 5, 16, and 19 draft sequence.
  • March: International collaborators publish genome of fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, the largest organism sequenced to date.

1999

1998

1997

1996

1995

1994

1993

1992

  • Low-resolution genetic linkage map of entire human genome published.
  • Guidelines for data release and resource sharing announced by DOE and NIH.

1991

  • Human chromosome mapping data repository, Genome Data Base (GDB) established.

1990

1989

1988

  • DOE and NIH sign MOU outlining plans for cooperation on genome research.
  • Telomere (chromosome end) sequence having implications for aging and cancer research is identified at LANL.

1987

  • Congressionally chartered DOE advisory committee, Health and Environmental Research Advisory Committee (HERAC), recommends a 15-year, multidisciplinary, scientific, and technological undertaking to map and sequence the human genome. DOE designates multidisciplinary human genome centers.

1986

  • Following the Santa Fe conference, DOE Office of Health and Environmental Research (now Office of Biological and Environmental Research (OBER)) announces Human Genome Initiative. With $5.3 million, pilot projects begin at DOE national laboratories to develop critical resources and technologies.

1985

  • At DOE Office of Health and Environmental Research, Charles DeLisi and David A. Smith commission the first Santa Fe conference to assess the feasibility of a human genome sequencing initiative.

1984

  • DOE OHER (now OBER) and International Commission on Protection Against Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens (ICPEMC) cosponsor Alta, Utah, conference highlighting the growing role of recombinant DNA technologies. Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) incorporates Alta proceedings into report acknowledging value of human genome reference sequence.

1983

  • LANL and LLNL begin production of DNA clone (cosmid) libraries representing single chromosomes.

Now Featuring

DOE Genomic Science Program Overview (2011)


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