What is the Earth BioGenome Project?
Powerful advances in genome sequencing technology, informatics, automation, and artificial intelligence, have propelled humankind to the threshold of a new beginning in understanding, utilizing, and conserving biodiversity. For the first time in history, it is possible to efficiently sequence the genomes of all known species, and to use genomics to help discover the remaining 80 to 90 percent of species that are currently hidden from science.
A GRAND CHALLENGE
The Earth BioGenome Project (EBP), a moonshot for biology, aims to sequence, catalog and characterize the genomes of all of Earth’s eukaryotic biodiversity over a period of ten years.
A GRAND VISION
Create a new foundation for biology to drive
solutions for preserving biodiversity and sustaining human societies.
Why Sequence Life?
Featured Species
The Nguni Sheep (Ovis aries)
High-quality Chromosomal-level Genome
Sequenced by the African BioGenome Project.
Image credit: Lucky Nesengani.
Read the 2025 publication
Featured Publication
African BioGenome Project
“To fully harness the transformative potential of biodiversity genomics, African countries and institutions should adopt a strategic and integrative economic approach. Establishing regional sequencing hubs and state-of-the-art laboratories is critical to reducing dependency on external facilities, fostering local innovations, and providing jobs for early careers and established scientists.”
Title: Unlocking the African bioeconomy and strengthening biodiversity conservation through genomics and bioinformatics
Authors: Hayah, I., Ezebuiro, V., Kagame, S.P., Kuja, J.O., Waruhiu, C., Nesengani, L.T., Mdyogolo, S., Molotsi, A.H., Abechi, P., Abushady, A.M., Amor, N., et al.
Journal: npj Biodiversity (2025)
Events & Education
EBP Life Newsletter: Issue 3
We’re excited to share a seasonal newsletter with you highlighting EBP successes. The EBP is comprised of 60 global affiliated projects and counting that share the mission of creating annotated reference-quality genomes for ~ 1.8 million named eukaryotic species. Don’t miss these real-world stories of how EBP-affiliated projects worldwide are revolutionizing agriculture through the power of genomics.
2025 Understanding Life:
Using Large-scale Biodiversity Reference Genomes
🗓️ Conference dates: 27-29 October 2025
📍 Hinxton Hall Conference Centre, Wellcome Genome Campus, UK, and online
✅ Find out more about the conference, speakers, and abstract opportunities here
“To sequence everything in the world—that is the reason we are here.”
—Huanming Yang, BIOGENOMICS 2017 CONFERENCE, February 24, 2017
