Media Advisory: Pioneering Biologist J. Craig Venter to Present Distinguished Speakers Lecture at UB

Pioneering biologist J. Craig Venter will present the latest installment of the University at Buffalo's Distinguished Speakers Series with a lecture at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27, in Alumni Arena on UB's North Campus.

Venter, a former UB and Roswell Park Cancer Institute scientist, is regarded as one of the leading scientists of the 21st century for his numerous invaluable contributions to genomic research.

While at Celera Genomics, which he founded, Venter sequenced the human genome using new tools and techniques he and his team developed. The successful completion of this research culminated with the February 2001 publication of the human genome in the journal, Science.

He is founder and president of the J. Craig Venter Institute, a not-for-profit, research and support organization dedicated to human, microbial, plant and environmental genomic research, the exploration of social and ethical issues in genomics, and alternative energy solutions through genomics.

Venter and his team at the Venter Institute continue to blaze new trails in genomics research and have published numerous important papers covering such areas as the first complete diploid human genome, environmental genomics and synthetic genomics.

During the program, audio and/or video photography, as well as still photography, will be limited to the first five minutes of Venter's lecture.

Working media may reserve tickets for the program by contacting Christine Vidal in the UB Office of Communications at 645-4607 or vidal@buffalo.edu no later than noon on Wednesday, April 27. Reserved tickets may be picked up at the will-call window in Alumni Arena prior to the program. Media may need to show press credentials in order to be admitted to the program.