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At a time when it seemed that American science had bitten off more than it could chew with the Human Genome Project, Craig Venter and his innovative company published "A New Strategy for Genome Sequencing." Appearing in the journal Nature in 1996, the Venter multi-center approach bypassed laborious gene mapping and allowed the HGP to meet its goal of full sequence information on the human genome in 2000.

"In the race to sequence the human genome," write the editors of Nature's DNA Technologies Milestones, "research groups had to choose between the random whole genome shotgun sequencing approach or the more ordered map-based sequencing approach." The choice of randomness versus order was present from 1982, but the Venter strategy was resisted for many years. Finally, in 1996 it was accepted and given an equal emphasis with the more orthodox approach.

After a standoff between the two groups of scientists, "a showdown ensued, with the biotechnology firm Celera Genomics wielding whole-genome shotgun sequencing and the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium wielding map-based sequencing. Yet when the dust settled, it was a draw -- both groups published their initial drafts of the human genome concurrently in 2001."

The maverick technology helped make high throughput genomic sequencing at commercial labs an economy reality and gave birth to a range of new DNA tests within the reach of ordinary consumers like you and me. Today, fifteen years later, those interested in autosomal ancestry testing and personal genomics have biologist and entrepreneur Craig Venter and his irascible persistence as a scientific pioneer to thank.