Scientists at @ucsc have built an automated platform to grow and monitor brain organoids (brain tissue in a dish) 24/7 🧠🤖. It captures neural activity missed by manual methods—boosting reproducibility & paving the way for breakthroughs in brain research. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

📢 Announcing the AnVIL Data Explorer! This tool makes it easier to access and reuse high-value datasets, including those that focus on specific diseases like Alzheimer’s, cancer, and rare genetic disorders. Over 280 datasets are already available, with more to come. news.ucsc.edu/2025/08/new-...

🧑🧬🐒 Are humans and chimps *really* 99% similar? New telomere-to-telomere (T2T) genomes and other sequencing advancements are helping scientists reveal more differences, primarily in the "non-coding" regions of DNA that turn genes on and off. www.livescience.com/archaeology/...

🌎 The Earth BioGenome Project is proposing to sequence 150,000 species over 4 years--which means releasing 3,000 new genomes a month ‼️ We're proud to be participating in this effort to create a rich resource to inform conservation, ensure food security, and even advance medicine.

Congratulations to lab member Maria! Maria joined us this summer as an NHGRI GREAT scholar @ucscgenomics.bsky.social Within 8 weeks she learned new wet lab techniques, bioinformatics, and carried out independent research. Proud to share that she received an award for outstanding research poster.

Headed to #ASHG25? Don’t miss HPRC’s workshop on the Human Pangenome: Data, Tools & Workflows. 📅 Oct 14 | 10AM–12PM Learn how to access data & use pangenome tools! www.ashg.org/product/ashg...

We are excited to announce the release of the MaveDB Experiment Heatmaps and Alignment track for hg38. Each heatmap shows the results of many small substitutions that were tested within a gene to examine their functional consequences. Learn more at: http://bit.ly/4lCIlLq

Google AI Releases DeepPolisher: A New Deep Learning Tool that Improves the Accuracy of Genome Assemblies by Precisely Correcting Base-Level Errors Google AI, in collaboration with the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, has introduced DeepPolisher, a cutting-edge deep learning tool designed to…

It's exciting to see the continuing legacy of T2T sequencing methods being discussed on @scifri.bsky.social ! 🧬 Complete genomes are helping us understand more and more about genetic function and diversity in areas of our DNA that were unreadable just a few years ago.

We’re excited to announce support for bedMethyl and bigMethyl, new track formats for visualizing base-resolution DNA methylation from bisulfite sequencing or similar methods at single-base resolution across the genome in the UCSC Genome Browser. More info: genome.ucsc.edu/gold...

The @nativebio.bsky.social is working to create the D4I Tribal Data Repository to uphold Indigenous data sovereignty 🧬🤝 In this video, a few of our collaborators on this project explain what it means to protect tribal data, and why it matters: www.youtube.com/watch?v=twp6...

Can a father’s stress influence the health of his future children? Science says yes. Affiliate @upasnasharma.bsky.social studies this effect in mice, and she has received a new McKnight Foundation award to uncover the molecular signals in sperm that are behind it: news.ucsc.edu/2025/07/upas...

🦭🧬 After nearly going extinct, northern elephant seals bounced back, but lost almost all genetic variation. Now, thanks to a new tool out of @ucsantacruz.bsky.social, we can trace family lines for species with low genetic diversity and improve conservation strategies. 📄: doi.org/10.1111/acv....

Over 1,100 members of the National Academies of the Sciences, representing both political parties, have signed a letter urging Congress to reject the FY26 science budget cuts that threaten U.S. leadership in science, health, and national security. #StandUpForScience www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkv0...

🧪🧬🖥️ We have a new variation graphs (vg) update: github.com/vgteam/vg/re... Changes include: 🤝Improved compatibility with other GFA graph files and transcript annotation files 🪲Various bug fixes, especially for mis-named or broken command-line options

📣 JOB ALERT: We are looking for a Senior Software Engineer to join our pathogen genomics team! Be a part of creating and maintaining tools that public health officials are using to track the spread of dangerous pathogens 🦠 Apply here: careerspub.universityofcalifornia.edu/psc/ucsc/EMP...

New anemonefish species alert! After many years working with this species, we finally also described it as a the Polynesian Anemonefish. zookeys.pensoft.net/article/1414...

Our work on the AnVIL Explorer is facilitating better data sharing ☁️ This database of roughly 12.9K biosamples allows users to explore public and controlled-access data to find datasets that are relevant to their work.

Super excited to share our latest work on RNA liquid biopsy via nanopore sequencing for novel biomarker discovery and cancer early detection! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

New CRISPRware tool makes precision genome editing easier, even in unannotated regions 🎉 Built by a @ucsantacruz.bsky.social student and integrated into the @genomebrowser.bsky.social, it will be a huge benefit to genetic research + therapeutic discovery. news.ucsc.edu/2025/07/cris...

We turn 25 today! July 7th marks the 25th anniversary of the human genome going online and the start of the UCSC Genome Browser. Then vs. now, we have 165k monthly visitors, and our codebase is over three million lines of code. See our news for more: bit.ly/genomeBrowser...

THIS DAY IN HISTORY: 25 years ago, the world got its first look at a human DNA sequence when @ucsantacruz.bsky.social posted it online. Today, we're using genomics to diagnose rare disease, guide cancer care, track outbreaks, and protect species. 🧬🌎 news.ucsc.edu/2025/07/twen...

New @nature.com, @eisensteinium.bsky.social looks back at an essential bit of science kit that made the human genome accessible: The UCSC Genome Browser turns 25. 🧪 @genomebrowser.bsky.social @ucscgenomics.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/d41...

"It changed medicine, it changed science — it changed the world." 🧬🌎 Listen to @whyy.org 's exciting retelling of the race to complete the human genome before it was patented, and how UC Santa Cruz "computer geeks" saved the day! whyy.org/segments/25-... @genomebrowser.bsky.social #scienceforall

Don't forget to head to the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History this evening to learn about "the most interesting fish in the world"! 🧬🐟

🎓 We are so proud of all our Research Mentoring Internship (RMI) scholars who are graduating this year! They have all gained valuable skills interning in our affiliated genomics labs and we know that they are going to go on to great things 💙💛🎉🎓

What can a 28-eyed jellyfish teach us about the ~wild~ evolution of vision? 👀🧬 Genomics Institute affiliate @aidemm.bsky.social and collaborators have sequenced the genome of a rare 28-eyed jellyfish to find out! news.ucsc.edu/2025/06/jell...

🌿 It’s #WorldEnvironmentDay and we’re investing in science that listens to the land. Supporting three new eDNA projects designed to uplift #Indigenous and remote communities, ensuring genomics works for everyone. Find out more here: bit.ly/eDNAforBC

UC Santa Cruz conservation genomics startup eDNA Explorer is expanding to Canada! 🇨🇦 eDNA Explorer Canada, supported by @genomebc.bsky.social, will allow collaboration around DNA data found in soil and water samples to inform public health and conservation efforts. news.ucsc.edu/2025/06/edna...

We teamed up with the Treehouse Childhood Cancer Initiative at @ucscgenomics.bsky.social to deliver a custom workshop on reproducible research. In our new blog, Dr. Holly Beale, Lead Computational Biologist at Treehouse, shares how their team is putting new skills into practice. Read the full story!

It’s Genome June at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History— in partnership with the UCSC Genomics Institute! Check out the line up of events throughout the month, most of which feature UC Santa Cruz scientists, researchers, and genomics experts. 🦣🧬🐺🌲 santacruzmuseum.org/series/genom...

Our variation graphs tool has had a new release! 🧪🧬🖥️Highlights include 📈 Improvements to vg giraffe unmapped reads and alignment QC. 📈 Improved surjection for more difficult alignments. 📈 Better handle reads from indexed GAF files. github.com/vgteam/vg/re...

Join us for Genome June at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History! We have lectures and events planned all month to explore what genomics is contributing to conservation and our knowledge of the environment! santacruzmuseum.org/series/genom...

🏆 Huge congrats to David Haussler, distinguished professor of biomolecular engineering at #BaskinEngineering and scientific director of the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute (@ucscgenomics.bsky.social), for being ranked #16 Best Genetics Scientist in the U.S. — and #24 in the world! 🌎🤯

Not every bit of DNA helps a species survive. Parasite-like genetic elements called introns hide in DNA and make copies of themselves, and recent research from the @russcd.bsky.social lab has provided the first proof that they have hopped from one species to another: news.ucsc.edu/2025/05/self...

Congratulations to our Director of Genomics Training Programs, Marina Ramon, on receiving the EOP Champion Award! The undergraduates Marina mentors nominated her for this award for providing exceptional support to students 💙💛🎉

New webinar series! We're launching a quarterly introduction to Xena for bulk sequencing data webinar series 📅 First webinar: June 5, 2025 🕙 10am–12pm PT 🔗 ucsc-xena.gitbook.io/project/tuto... More dates coming soon!

Join us THIS FRIDAY for an exciting symposium celebrating 25 years of genomics! Opening remarks and a keynote on the future of genomics starts at 2pm in the Seymour Center with live demos and refreshments to follow 🧬 calendar.ucsc.edu/event/25-yea...

Congratulations to UCSC Genomics Institute core member Beth Shapiro on her election to the National Academy of Sciences! 🎉🦣🧬 Shapiro is a leader in the field of ancient DNA and a fierce advocate for conservation. She is currently CSO of Colossal Biosciences.

Happy #EarthDay! In this video, UCSC Genomics Institute core member Beth Shapiro explains the science behind “blood cloning,” a non-invasive cloning technique Colossal developed during the dire wolf de-extinction project. It could benefit countless endangered species: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZP_...

🧬 DNA Day is right around the corner! Join us THIS FRIDAY, April 25th, 11am-1pm in the UC Santa Cruz Baskin Engineering Courtyard for interactive activities, research presentations, and more. It's free and fun for all ages! 😎 calendar.ucsc.edu/event/dna-da...

🧪🧬🖥️ Our variation graphs (vg) version 1.65.0 (code name "Carfon") is out now! It has all the fixes from v1.64.1, plus a fix for consistent ref allele traversals in vg call -v. github.com/vgteam/vg/re...

“With this breakthrough, we can create a more realistic model of the brain," said Mohammed Mostajo-Radji, at the @ucscgenomics.bsky.social. His team discovered that certain brain neurons can change from one type to another—which could offer new insights into brain function. bit.ly/42ERImK

🦤 The first de-extinct animal has just been born! @ucsantacruz.bsky.social 's Beth Shapiro is part of the team that made it happen. Watch Shapiro and her colleagues at Colossal explain the de-extinction of the Dire Wolf: www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5uC...

Some 2,000 scientists, including dozens of Nobel Prize winners, have signed an open letter warning that the U.S. lead in science is being "decimated" by the Trump administration's cuts to research.

🧠 Your brain could be more plastic (changeable) than we thought! The brain is made up of subtypes of neurons, and a new study by our Braingeneers has demonstrated one subtype is able to change into another, something that was believed to be impossible. news.ucsc.edu/2025/03/most...

👋 first post here! I’m excited to start by sharing our work on CRISPRa-programmed embryo models! We show that CRISPR activation of 2 elements is sufficient to form an embryo model similar to a natural embryo www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... @cp-cellstemcell.bsky.social @ucscgenomics.bsky.social

We use personalized references with our Giraffe aligner. Each chromosome is partitioned into a sequence of blocks. We sample the most relevant haplotypes in each block using kmer counts. Mapping to this personalized reference improves variant calling accuracy. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

🎗📢 Our clinical pediatric cancer lab at @ucsantacruz.bsky.social has been cleared to begin testing patient samples! The Colligan Clinical Diagnostic Lab hopes to identify life-saving treatment options using innovative new RNA tests. 🎉https://news.ucsc.edu/2025/03/colligan-clinical-lab.html

Nature research paper: Integrated analysis of the complete sequence of a macaque genome https://go.nature.com/4ihe4kb