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.
How many species have been sequenced so far?
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?
MicroFinder: conserved gene-set mapping and assembly ordering for manual curation of bird dot microchromosomes
MicroFinder helps identify missing bird dot chromosomes—the smallest and most difficult-to-assemble microchromosomes.
Authors: Thomas Mathers, Michael Paulini, Cibele Sotero-Caio, and Jonathan Wood.
Journal: GigaScience (2026)
Project homepage: https://github.com/sanger-tol/MicroFinder.
Operating system: Linux/MacOS.
Programming language: Ruby/BASH/Docker.
Other requirements: None.
License: MIT license.
Expanding African biodiversity genomics to meet global biodiversity goals
African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP)
Authors: Sally Mueni Katee, Marietjie Botes, Ichrak Hayah, Varsha Nagaraj Shetty, Emmanuel Hala Kwon-Ndung, Girish Beedessee, Sadye Paez, Sizwe Innocent Ndlovu, Bouabid Badaoui, Semir Bechir Suheil Gaouar, Sadik Muzemil, Denye Nathaniel Ogeh, Abdoallah Sharaf, Kassahun Tesfaye, Chukwuike Ebuzome, Richard Osei-Amponsah, Chigoziem Ruth Torty, Hawwa Gabier, Samuel C. Eziuzor, Fatu J. Badiane Markey, Julien Alban Nguinkal, Achraf El Allali, Anne W. T. Muigai, Justin E. Ideozu, and ThankGod Echezona Ebenezer
Journal: Nature Reviews Biodiversity (2026)
EBP Life Newsletter
We're excited to share Issue 6 of EBP Life, highlighting the methods, innovations, and collaborations driving the next phase of biodiversity genomics. As the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP) approaches the completion of 10,000 high-quality reference genomes in Phase I, the focus is shifting from sequencing individual genomes to building the systems that will enable reference-quality genomes for Earth's ~1.8 million named eukaryotic species.
Issue 6: Genomic Frontiers—Methods, Limits & Breakthroughs
How do you scale biodiversity genomics from hundreds of genomes to hundreds of thousands? In this issue of EBP Life, researchers from across the EBP network explore the technologies, laboratory innovations, and collaborative approaches making large-scale biodiversity genomics possible. Featured in this issue, Dr Caroline Howard of the Wellcome Sanger Institute shares how automation, operational infrastructure, and a willingness to "fail fast and then learn" are helping transform genome sequencing from individual projects into a scalable global enterprise.
“As the biodiversity crisis gathers pace, so must our sequencing.”
Professor Harris Lewin, Chair, EBP Executive Council
