Pioneering Biologist J. Craig Venter, Ph.D., to Deliver President’s Lecture at Tufts on March 10

MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, Mass.– J. Craig Venter, Ph.D. one of the first to sequence the human genome, will deliver the President’s Lecture at Tufts University on Monday, March 10 at 4:30 pm in ASEAN Auditorium at the Cabot Intercultural Center on Tufts’ Medford/Somerville campus.   Regarded as one of the leading scientists of the 21st century for his numerous contributions to genomic research, Venter will present "Life at the Speed of Light," a discussion on how far and fast the science of genomics has come.  

Members of the public can reserve tickets for the free lecture by calling 888-320-4103. Tickets for members of the Tufts University community will be available starting Tuesday, March 4, at the front desk of Dowling Hall Student Services Center. Members of the news media who would like to attend should contact Katie Cinnamond Benoit at 617-627-4703 or Katherine.cinnamond@tufts.edu  for a ticket and reserved seat. 

Venter, leader of the team who created the first bacterial cell with a synthetic genome, is positively impacting human health and the treatment of disease. His work also enables a better understanding of the environment and has the potential for creating new biological sources of food, fuel, vaccines and clean water.  

Venter is founder, chairman and CEO of the J. Craig Venter Institute, a not-for-profit, research organization dedicated to human, microbial, plant, synthetic and environmental genomic research, and the exploration of social and ethical issues in genomics. He is also founder and CEO of Synthetic Genomics Inc. in La Jolla, CA, a privately held company dedicated to commercializing genomic-driven solutions to address global needs such as new sources of energy, new food and nutritional products, and next generation vaccines.  

The author of more than 250 research articles, he has also received numerous honorary degrees, public honors and scientific awards, including the 2008 United States National Medal of Science, the 2002 Gairdner Foundation International Award, the 2001 Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize and the King Faisal International Award for Science. He is a member of numerous scientific organizations including the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Society for Microbiology.  

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Tufts University, located on three Massachusetts campuses in Boston, Medford/Somerville, and Grafton, and in Talloires, France, is recognized among the premier research universities in the United States. Tufts enjoys a global reputation for academic excellence and for the preparation of students as leaders in a wide range of professions. A growing number of innovative teaching and research initiatives span all Tufts campuses, and collaboration among the faculty and students in the undergraduate, graduate and professional programs across the university's schools is widely encouraged.